The Vice President has sharply criticised Beijing, accusing it of coercion and intimidation in the South China Sea

Kamala Harris made the remarks during a major foreign policy speech in Singapore, as part of her second overseas trip since taking office.

The Vice President accusing Beijing of continuing “to coerce, to intimidate and to make claims to the vast majority of the South China Sea”.

“These unlawful claims have been rejected by the 2016 arbitral tribunal decision, and Beijing’s actions continue to undermine the rules based order and threaten the sovereignty of nations,” Harris says.

Harris says the U.S. stands with its allies and partners in the face of these threats.

At the same time, Harris is seeking to reassure nations in the region that the Biden administration won’t force them to choose between China and the U.S.

“I must be clear: Our engagement in Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific is not against any one country, nor is it designed to make anyone choose between countries.”

KAMALA HARRIS

Harris says U.S. engagement is “about advancing an optimistic vision that we have for our participation and partnership in this region”.

The U.S. has deep and enduring strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific, which is why our security presence matters. Thank you to our sailors and all our servicemen and women for your service and sacrifice, and the work you do every day to protect the country. pic.twitter.com/JK85NPi7zi

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) August 23, 2021

The Vice President is using the trip to reassure Southeast Asia of the Biden administration’s commitment to the region.

The messy and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan has raised concerns about the credibility of the United States’ foreign policy commitments, making this task even more important.

Appearing alongside the Vice President at a media conference on Monday, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was asked about U.S. reliability, following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

“What will influence perceptions of US resolve and commitment to the region will be what the US does going forward – how it repositions itself in the region, how it engages its broad range of friends and partners and allies in the region, and how it continues the fight against terrorism.”

Lee Hsien Loong

Kamala Harris will also make a historic trip to Vietnam this week, becoming the first U.S. Vice President to visit the nation.