Vice President Kamala Harris has said the US must maintain its focus on evacuating Americans and vulnerable Afghans and should not get distracted by questions over what went wrong in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan.
Speaking at a news conference in Singapore, Ms Harris repeatedly declined to engage when asked what she felt should have been done differently in the withdrawal.
“There’s no question there will be and should be a robust analysis of what has happened, but right now there’s no question that our focus has to be on evacuating American citizens, Afghans who worked with us and vulnerable Afghans, including women and children,” she said.
Ms Harris took questions alongside Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong after the two met for about two hours to discuss issues ranging from the Covid-19 response to cybersecurity and supply chain co-operation.
The news conference was dominated by Afghanistan, after the messy US withdrawal sparked concerns about US commitment to its allies globally.
Thank you Foreign Minister @VivianBala for welcoming me to Singapore. Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific are critically important to the security and prosperity of the United States. pic.twitter.com/TZjFukDeeA
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) August 22, 2021
Ms Harris’s visits to Singapore and Vietnam this week are seen as the first real test of the Biden administration’s ability to reassure key allies of its resolve.
Mr Lee offered his country’s support for the US decision to withdraw, and said Singapore was “grateful” for US efforts to combat terrorism in Afghanistan.
He also offered the US the use of Singapore Air Force transport aircraft to help with the evacuation, and said the country is watching what the US does next.
“What matters is how the US repositions itself in the Asia Pacific, engages the broader region and continues to fight against terrorism, because that will determine the perceptions of the countries of the US′s global priorities and of its strategic intentions,” he said.
Ms Harris’s south-east Asian trip, which takes her to Vietnam later this week, is aimed at broadening co-operation with both nations to offer a counterweight to China’s growing influence in the region.
On Monday, the vice president’s office announced a series of new agreements with Singapore aimed at tackling cyberthreats, climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic and alleviating supply chain issues.
On cybersecurity, the treasury and defence departments, as well as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, have each agreed a memorandum of understanding with their Singapore counterparts expanding information sharing and training to combat cyberthreats.
The two nations agreed to co-operate more closely to track Covid-19 variants and engage in research on coronavirus treatments.
The Department of Commerce is joining with the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry to create a partnership focused on strengthening trade throughout a handful of key industries.
The White House announced additional agreements between the two nations fostering co-operation on space exploration and defence issues as well.
The announcements came on Monday after Ms Harris met Singapore’s President Halimah Yacob and Mr Lee.
Later on Monday, speaking to sailors on a US Navy combat ship at Singapore’s Changi naval base, Ms Harris expressed gratitude for the American soldiers and embassy staff working in an “incredibly challenging and dangerous environment” to evacuate people.
On Tuesday, she will deliver a speech outlining the Biden administration’s vision for the region, and meet business leaders to discuss supply chain issues. During her remarks at Changi naval base, Ms Harris seemed to preview her Tuesday speech, describing the Indo-Pacific region as “critical to the security and prosperity of the United States”.
“I do believe a big part of the history of the 21st century will be written about this very region where you now serve. And we want to be the ones who are helping to shape and dictate that history,” she said.
