Harris to travel to Vietnam, Singapore in August

Vice President Harris will travel next month to Singapore and Vietnam, her second international trip as vice president and her first to the Indo-Pacific.

Harris will meet with government leaders in both countries to discuss regional security as the Biden administration looks to counter Chinese influence in the region. She will also discuss the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, Harris’s communications director Symone Sanders said in a statement.

“President Biden and Vice President Harris have made it a top priority to rebuild our global partnerships and keep our nation secure, and this upcoming visit continues that work – deepening our engagement in Southeast Asia. Vice President Harris will be the first Vice President to ever visit Vietnam,” Sanders said. 

The U.S. has sent 5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam in a bid to help the nation of nearly 100 million people fight the pandemic. Singapore has vaccinated 75 percent of its population with at least one dose.

Harris will likely focus a good portion of her trip on the importance of U.S. partnerships in the region as the Biden administration puts a focus on its relationships in Asia. President Biden has repeatedly spoken about the need to counter Chinese influence in the region and promote democracy in the Indo-Pacific. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is on an Asia swing of his own this week, meeting with leaders in Vietnam and the Philippines.