US Vice President Kamala Harris told Southeast Asian leaders today that the United States will remain in the region for generations to come. She also stressed the need to maintain freedom of navigation, which Washington says is being tested by China, Reuters reported.
Harris said at a summit between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that the region is a priority for Washington.
“The United States and ASEAN share a vision for the region, and together we will guard against threats to international rules and regulations,” she said. Harris did not specifically mention China, which the United States has accused of using coercion against its neighbors.
“We are with our allies and partners in the protection of maritime law, which includes freedom of navigation and international law,” she said.
“As a country in the Indo-Pacific region, the United States will be present and will continue to be involved in Southeast Asia for generations to come,” Harris added.
According to her, the United States, which has donated more than 115 million vaccine doses to the region so far, will continue to respond with ASEAN to the threat of KOVID-19.
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