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Singapore PM Lee backs US as ‘guarantor’ of security in Asia as Harris grilled over Afghanistan chaos
- Kamala Harris emphasised US commitment to the region and demurred when asked about Afghanistan withdrawal, insisting Washington was ‘singularly’ focused on evacuations
- Lee Hsien Loong said Singapore was ‘grateful’ the US had prevented terrorist groups using Afghanistan as a base, adding that Washington’s response to the unfolding crisis would shape perceptions in Asia
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US Vice-President Kamala Harris on Monday began her two-nation tour of Asia by fielding a barrage of questions about Washington’s recent withdrawal from Afghanistan and whether its security commitments in the region can be trusted.
Speaking in Singapore alongside Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Harris demurred when asked about the withdrawal of US forces, saying instead that Washington was “singularly” focused on the evacuation of US and Afghan citizens after Taliban militants seized control of the country.
Harris landed in Singapore on Sunday and is scheduled to deliver a major foreign policy address on Tuesday before flying to Vietnam. After meetings on Monday with Lee and his key ministers, Harris emphasised the US commitment to the region, which she said would “in large part … dictate the future of our world”.
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Several agreements were announced between the US and Singapore on climate change financing, cybersecurity and public health. The delegations also discussed cooperation dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and supply chain resilience.
The US has been criticised over its withdrawal from Afghanistan – by China and by its allies alike – but Lee struck a sympathetic tone, saying countries must make “recalculations and adjust their positions from time to time”.
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