Harris blasts China, says US won’t force Asia to pick sides

Harris delivers a speech at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore before departing for Vietnam on the second leg of her Asia trip, on Aug 24, 2021

SINGAPORE (Bloomberg): Vice President Kamala Harris warned that China poses a threat to countries in Asia, while reassuring nations in the region the US won’t force countries to choose between the world’s biggest economies.

In a speech in Singapore on Tuesday (Aug 24), Harris spoke about the US vision for a region built on rules, human rights, freedom of the seas and unimpeded commerce. She also offered for the US to host the 2023 summit of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, signifying the administration’s commitment to multilateral engagement.