News Snapshot:
China’s embassy in Hanoi hit back at US Vice-President Kamala Harris’s criticism of Beijing’s assertiveness in the South China Sea , accusing Washington of acting as the “black hand” behind the tensions in the disputed waters. The statement came as Harris wrapped up her first trip to Singapore and Vietnam on Thursday, with repeated pledges to help China’s neighbours push back against Beijing’s “bullying and excessive maritime claims”. “We welcome stiff competition, we do not seek conflict ,” she said in Hanoi on Thursday, the final day of her trip. “[But] we’re going to speak up when there are actions...
