Aug 23, 2021: US Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday vowed a “sustainable engagement” in Asia, reaffirming Washington’s commitment to the region following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban take over.

The Taliban’s swift return to power a week ago, and desperate scenes of thousands trying to flee, have cast a shadow over the United States’ status as a global superpower.

But on a visit to Singapore, the first of its kind, which would include Vietnam, Harris repeatedly insisted that the US could be relied upon as an ally.

“Our administration is committed to maintaining engagement in Singapore, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean,” Harris told a news conference with the Singapore leader. “I’m here because the United States is a world leader, and we take that role seriously.”

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he welcomed the vice president’s “assurance of US intentions in the region and the world.”

US President Joe Biden’s administration wants to restore ties in Asia after the tumultuous Trump era, and to present Washington as a strong force in the face of growing Chinese strength.

But analysts say the Taliban’s seizure of power and the rapid withdrawal of US-trained Afghan forces have raised fresh concerns about US dependence. There are scenes of chaos at Kabul airport as large numbers of Afghans try to flee a country now under Taliban control.

Harris has also been criticized for being deaf in her visit to Vietnam as US forces struggle to pull out Americans, other foreigners and Afghan allies from Kabul.

The crisis is comparable to the shock of 1975 in Saigon, when US helicopters carried out the last evacuation from the roof of the embassy, with the advance of Viet Cong troops.

US officials insist the trip was made long before the Afghan crisis, and focus on Washington’s broader strategic goals in Asia.

Harris arrived in Singapore on Sunday and began her official engagements on Monday.

She spoke with Lee when the US and Singapore signed agreements on cyber threats, climate change and the corona virus pandemic.

The US Vice President was formally welcomed at the President’s official residence, inspected by the Guard of Honor and presented with an Orchid in her name, a special honor for the special guest.

Later, she will visit the Changi Naval Base and address the visiting US sailors aboard the USS Tulsa.

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