Topline
On Tuesday, Kamala Harris, the U.S. Vice President for International Affairs, attacked China by accusing it using intimidation and coercion to support illegal claims in South China Sea. She also reiterated U.S. support to allies in the region. The Biden administration is shifting its resources and attention to the Indo-Pacific region in an effort to stop Beijing's advances.
Kamala Harris, the US Vice President of the United States, delivers a speech in Gardens by the Bay, Singapore just before she departs for Vietnam on the second leg her Asia trip. POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The Key Facts
Harris spoke in Singapore during a seven-day-long tour of Southeast Asia. He said that Beijing's activities continue to undermine the rules-based order in the region and threaten the sovereignty countries. Harris will visit Hanoi on Tuesday. He also said that the U.S. stands by our allies in the face China's threats. The Biden administration's Harris visit to the region is timely as it shifts its focus away from the Middle East and towards the Indo-Pacific. She also noted the importance of the Indo-Pacific to America's national security, prosperity, and national security. Although the Vice President's comments were the sharpest criticism she has made against China, she seemed to acknowledge Singapore's neutrality in the U.S. China rivalry and to point out that Washington isnt trying make anyone choose between the two countries.
Important Background
Washington's shift towards the Indo-Pacific occurs at a moment when the Biden administration is ending America's decades-long presence there. This includes a messy exit out of Afghanistan. Many Americans are concerned about the U.S. commitment to supporting them after the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. Harris acknowledged the situation and said that the U.S. was evacuating as many Afghans as possible. However, she also stated that it is imperative to continue advancing our interests in the region. Harris will start the second leg in Hanoi, where she will meet with top officials from Vietnam's government.
Chief Critic
Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, accused the U.S. in Afghanistan of doing dishonest and unscrupulous things and asked Washington to rebuild Afghanistan. The United States is the main cause of the Afghan problem and its biggest external factor. It can't just disappear like this.
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Harris slams China in a major speech about Indo-Pacific (Associated Press).
U.S. VP Harris claims China intimidates South China Sea claims (Reuters).
