Kamala Harris accuses China of ‘intimidation’ in South China Sea

US Vice President says Washington’s partnerships in Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific ‘are a top priority’.

US Vice President Kamala Harris has accused China of using “coercion” and “intimidation” to back unlawful claims in the South China Sea as she sought to rally Asian countries against Beijing and shore up US credibility in the wake of a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Her comments on Tuesday came during a seven-day trip to Singapore and Vietnam that is aimed at standing up to China’s growing security and economic influence globally. The US has called rivalry with China “the biggest geopolitical test” of the century and is diverting attention and resources to the Indo-Pacific region as it turns away from old security preoccupations, including with the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan.