A trip by Vice President Kamala Harris to Southeast Asia will give the Biden administration an opportunity to put the focus back on countering China at a time when the U.S.’s chaotic exit from Afghanistan is raising questions about Washington’s reliability as an ally.
Ms. Harris departs on Friday for Singapore and Vietnam, visits that will be the culmination of months of diplomatic outreach to the region, underscoring a shift in priorities away from the war on terror and toward containment of competing powers.
During her trip, Ms. Harris is expected to focus on global health, economic partnerships and security in the region, according to senior administration officials. She will deliver a speech in Singapore detailing her vision for the Indo-Pacific and launch a Southeast Asia regional office for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Vietnam.
Ms. Harris will also meet with government officials and business leaders to speak…