Certainly in an affront to Indonesian President Widodo and to most of the serious-minded attendees at today’s East Asia Summit (EAS) in Jakarta, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida tried to derail the discussion with attacks on China and Russia, instead of addressing the issues on the agenda.
Harris pointed to China’s “provocative actions in the South China Sea and the East China Sea,” China’s “grave human rights abuses,” demanded condemnation of Russia’s “brutal attack” on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and warned that Washington will continue to hold Russia accountable for “egregious crimes against humanity.” She raved that in the Indo-Pacific and “around the world” there are increasing concerns about violations of the “rules-based international order,” concerns she claimed many ASEAN nations share. Her outburst brought a harsh response from the Chinese foreign ministry (see separate slug).
Prime Minister Kishida attacked both China and Russia, complaining about China’s “militarization and coercive activities” in the South China Sea,” and Russia’s continued “aggression” against Ukraine.
