- In Jakarta, Indonesia, Vice President Kamala Harris will take part in a global meeting.
- Harris will use the trip as another chance to enhance her foreign policy credentials.
- Beijing’s assertive behavior in the area has given Washington a chance to establish more solid alliances.
Because of President Joe Biden‘s absence, there have been questions about the US’s commitment to Southeast Asia. Vice President Kamala Harris will attend an international summit in Jakarta, Indonesia.
In comparison to any other continent, Harris has traveled to more nations in Southeast Asia—four in total—on her third journey there. To prepare for a hard campaign year, Harris will use the trip as another chance to enhance her foreign policy credentials.
ASEAN summit
As he is already in India and Vietnam, Biden’s choice to bypass the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has angered many. There are internal conflicts within ASEAN concerning the rivalry between China and the United States; some nations want greater connections with Washington, while Cambodia is still strongly aligned with Beijing.
Every country wants the president of the United States to attend events it hosts, according to Phil Gordon, Harris’ national security adviser, but there is also a lot of excitement about the vice president’s stay in Jakarta.
At a meeting that might not produce results on important topics, Harris’ attendance helps the United States cover its bases.
Following the release of a new official map by Beijing that stresses its territorial claims in the South China Sea, leaders are meeting in Jakarta amid heightened tension about the region. According to American officials and observers, Beijing’s assertive behavior in the area has given Washington a chance to establish more solid alliances.
Harris has previously traveled to the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea. Her numerous journeys have been focused on the international contest with China.
