Harris vows 'enduring engagement' in Asia

Vice president Kamala Harris vowed "enduring engagement" in Asia yesterday, offering reassurances of Washington's commitment to the region following the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover.

While on a visit to Singapore, her first stop on a trip that will also include Vietnam, Harris repeatedly insisted that Washington could be depended on. "Our administration is committed to enduring engagement in Singapore, into southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific," Harris said. "The reason I am here is because the United States is a global leader, and we take that role seriously."

But she dodged questions about whether US credibility had been damaged by the Afghan debacle, saying only her government's focus was on "evacuating American citizens, Afghans who worked with us and vulnerable Afghans."

Southeast Asia is seen as critically important at a time China is challenging US political sway in the region.

Washington has repeatedly criticized Beijing's claims to almost the entire flashpoint South China Sea.

Harris reiterated US commitment to "uphold the rules-based international order and freedom of navigation, including in the South China Sea."

She held talks with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as the US and Singapore signed agreements on combating cyber threats, climate change and the coronavirus pandemic.