U.S. VP Harris says China intimidates to back South China Sea claims

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday accused Beijing of coercion and intimidation to back unlawful claims in the South China Sea, her most pointed comments on China during a visit to Southeast Asia, which she said was critical to U.S. security.

Harris’s seven-day trip to Singapore and Vietnam, only her second foray internationally, is aimed at standing up to China’s growing security and economic influence, addressing concerns about China’s claims to disputed parts of the South China Sea and showing Washington can lead the way.

In a speech in Singapore, Harris laid out the U.S. vision for the region built on human rights and a rules based international order and sought to solidify a U.S. pivot towards Asia.

She said the United States had put itself forward to host a 2023 meeting of the 21-member Asia-Pacific trade group APEC, which includes the United States, China and Russia.

Diverting attention and resources to the region has become a centrepiece of President Joe Biden’s administration, as it turns away from old security preoccupations with the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

via Reuters