VP Kamala Harris calls on Vietnam to join US opposing China ‘bullying’

The United States will provide an additional 1 million coronavirus vaccine doses to Vietnam, Vice President Kamala Harris announced Wednesday, offering additional aid to a country currently grappling with a fresh coronavirus surge and stubbornly low vaccination rates. During her meeting with Vietnamese President Ngyuen Xuan Phuc, Harris also expressed support for sending an additional U.S. Coast Guard cutter to Vietnam, to help defend its security interests in the South China Sea, and issued a sharp critique of Beijing’s incursions in the disputed waterway. Her comments follow sharp words towards Beijing during a speech in Singapore Tuesday, where she said their actions in the South China Sea amount to “coercion” and “intimidation.” On Wednesday in Vietnam, Harris also said that the U.S. supports sending the country an additional U.S. Coast Guard cutter, to help defend its security interests in the South China Sea. Harris, who is the first U.S. vice president to visit Vietnam, told the nation’s president that “our relationship has come a long way in a quarter of a century.” She also announced the launch of a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Southeast Asia regional office. “It’s possibly marginally good for them to show that- who in 1975 would believe that this is where the U.S. economic relationship would be?” Also Read: Kamala Harris to meet with Singapore officials to begin Asia visit