US Vice President Mike Pence has been greeted at Sydney airport by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce at the start of his first official visit to Australia.
Amid tight security, Mr Pence touched down on Friday night for the final leg of his Asia-Pacific tour before departing for Hawaii on Monday.
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Mike Pence arrives in Australia
The US Vice-President has arrived in Sydney for talks with Malcolm Turnbull, with growing military tensions on the Korean peninsula expected to dominate his three-day visit to Australia.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, Australian ambassador to the US Joe Hockey, acting US ambassador to Australia James Carouso and consul-general Valerie Fowler were also there to meet the vice president.
Sydneysiders will witness "substantial" motorcades and rolling road closures during Mr Pence's whirlwind visit to the city this weekend, which has prompted a major security operation.
Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Murdoch says residents will notice a "large number" of resources being deployed for Mr Pence's trip.
"People shouldn't read anything more into it than that," he said.
"We do apologise in advance for what we see will be some disruption for people's activities."
Clearways in the city began at 10am on Friday and will last until Monday morning.
![US Vice President Mike Pence (left) will meet with Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday as part of his 10-day, ...](/web/20170424021037im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/q/3/p/k/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gvq3js.png/1492822451141.jpg)
Traffic police, mounted units, general duties officers and tactical experts will be part of the operation.
Motorcades will also be granted "secure road corridors", meaning roads in the city will be shut down swiftly as the US team moves from one engagement to the next before reopening just as fast.
![Mr Pence, with his wife Karen and their daughters Audrey, back left, and Charlotte, back right.](/web/20170424021037im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/q/3/x/z/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.gvq3js.png/1492822451141.jpg)
Mr Pence is expected to take a harbour cruise during his visit.
Ahead of his arrival on Friday, an anti-war protest took place at Sydney Town Hall, calling for Australia's foreign policy to be independent from that of the US.
NSW Greens senator Lee Rhiannon said the US should "back off threatening countries", and bombing Afghanistan and Syria.
"Negotiate and work to turn the temperature down, rather than driving an arms race," Ms Rhiannon said at the rally.
"Surely world leaders should be working to reduce the threat of war, not increase it."
The vice president is accompanied by his wife Karen and daughters Charlotte and Audrey on his 10-day tour of key Asia-Pacific allies.
The delegation has already stopped in South Korea, Japan and Indonesia in a trip aimed at reinforcing traditional US alliances.
Hello Australia! Busy day of meetings start tomorrow. #VPinAUS pic.twitter.com/m9UaUkRhL6
— Vice President Pence (@VP) April 21, 2017
Join us in welcoming @VP Pence and @SecondLady to Sydney, Australia! First official visit, an important trip #VPinOZ #VPinAsia pic.twitter.com/LENZIAn6ip
— US Consulate Sydney (@USConGenSydney) April 21, 2017
AAP