Kamala Harris to defend international rules in South China Sea during Asia trip
- The US vice-president will also focus on bolstering America’s regional leadership and expanding security cooperation during her trip to Vietnam and Singapore
- Harris will be the first US vice-president to visit Vietnam as Washington seeks to bolster international support to counter China’s growing global influence
US Vice-President Kamala Harris will focus on defending international rules in the South China Sea, strengthening US regional leadership and expanding security cooperation during her trip to Vietnam and Singapore this month, a senior White House official said.
Harris will be the first US vice-president to visit Vietnam as Washington seeks to bolster international support to counter China’s growing global influence.
The US official said Washington saw both countries as critical partners given their locations, the size of their economies, trade ties and security partnerships on issues such as the South China Sea, which China claims almost in its entirety.
Former US foe Vietnam has been a vocal opponent of China’s South China Sea claims. Countries in the region largely welcome the US military presence there in the face of China’s militarisation of the waterway and its vast coastguard and fishing fleet.
“We do not want to see any country dominate that region or take advantage of the power situation to compromise the sovereignty of others,” the White House official said.