Harris says she urged Vietnam to free political dissidents
Source: AP
By ALEXANDRA JAFFE
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday she raised issues of human rights abuses and restrictions on political activism in her conversations with Vietnamese leaders this week, but offered no indication those talks bore fruit.
“We’re not going to shy away from difficult conversations. Difficult conversations often must be had with the people that you otherwise may have a partnership with,” she said at a news conference in Hanoi on Thursday.
Harris said she spoke with Vietnamese leaders in particular about the release of political dissidents, but did not describe the outcome of those conversations. Vietnam has faced criticism for restrictions on freedom of expression and the press and a crackdown on people it deems political dissidents. But Harris didn’t respond when asked why the U.S. criticizes China for similar abuses, but is seeking a stronger partnership with Vietnam.
Her comments capped a weeklong trip to Southeast Asia during which she met with top officials in Singapore and Vietnam in a bid to strengthen U.S. engagement in the region to counter Chinese influence there. Harris unveiled a number of new U.S. agreements and aid for both countries in areas including cyberdefense cooperation with Saigon and coronavirus aid to Vietnam, which is struggling with a new surge in the virus and low vaccination rates.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris meets with civil society change makers who work on LGBT, transgender, and disability rights and climate change, at the U.S. Chief of Mission's residence in Hanoi, Vietnam, Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/vietnam-e402905f58f3750a9a6d34811cc7d031
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That headline almost sounds sarcastic. Oh she SAYS she did 
suuuuure she did