Vice President Joe Biden will speak Thursday on Asia’s expanding economic influence, about a week before he travels to the region.

The talk, which will take place in Jack Morton Auditorium, is hosted by the nonpartisan think tank, Center for American Progress.

He will “focus on the United States’ enduring commitment to the rebalance toward Asia, India’s growing role in the Asia-Pacific region, and the critical importance of deepening U.S. trade relationships and building constituencies for shared economic values,” according to a release.

Last week, Biden gave the opening speech at a two-day conference called the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, in which he called for increased collaboration and a more stable relationship between the two countries.

Biden will spend time in India, and later Singapore, this month, just before Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits the White House in September.

The South Asian economic powerhouse is key to U.S. promotion of international development, nuclear cooperation, climate change action and military partnerships.

When asked if tickets for the public were available, University spokeswoman Candace Smith said seats were “very limited.”

“As always, we work to have members of the university community, including students and faculty attend events on campus,” she said.

Biden will speak at 1 p.m. He also spoke at GW in 2010, when he announced the repeal of a Bush-era policy that let colleges rely on student surveys to prove compliance with a gender equality law known as Title IX.