US Vice-President Kamala Harris to visit Singapore and Vietnam

[WASHINGTON] United States Vice-President Kamala Harris will travel to Singapore and Vietnam next month to "strengthen relationships and expand economic cooperation with two critical Indo-Pacific partners of the United States", her spokesman announced on Friday (July 30).

"During the trip, the Vice-President will engage the leaders of both governments on issues of mutual interest, including regional security, the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and our joint efforts to promote a rules-based international order," Ms Symone Sanders said in a brief statement that did not mention dates.

"The Vice-President will also affirm and celebrate the strong cultural and people-to-people ties between the United States and these countries," she said.

US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Harris have made it a top priority to "rebuild our global partnerships and keep our nation secure, and this upcoming visit continues that work - deepening our engagement in South-east Asia", Ms Sanders added.

"Vice-President Harris will be the first vice-president to ever visit Vietnam."

This will be the 56-year-old Californian's first trip outside the Americas since she was sworn into office in January as the first female US vice-president. She is also the first person of colour (she is of Indian-Jamaican heritage) to hold the second-highest office in the country.

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Though South-east Asia is not known to be Ms Harris' forte - she is a former prosecutor and was a senator from 2017 to 2020 - the visit comes close on the heels of the swing through the region by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who visited Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Ms Harris' visit affirms the strength of the relationship between the US and Singapore, said the press secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a statement on Friday.

The statement added that Ms Harris will meet Singapore leaders and discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in multiple areas, including defence, cyber security and digital trade.

PM Lee said: "I am delighted to welcome Vice-President Harris on her first official visit to Singapore. I look forward to our discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation and working together on global challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change."

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