Harris says US ‘singularly focused’ on Afghanistan evacuations

US Vice President Kamala Harris has said during a visit to Singapore that the United States was focusing on evacuation efforts taking place in Afghanistan and that there would be plenty of time to analyse the context of the troop withdrawal.

Harris met with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Halimah Yacob on Monday during a trip aimed at bolstering ties with partners in the region as part of Washington's efforts to counter China's growing economic and security influence.

"There is going to be plenty of time to analyse what has happened and what has taken place in the context of the withdrawal from Afghanistan," Harris said during a joint news conference with Singapore's prime minister.

"But right now we are singularly focused on evacuating American citizens, Afghans who have worked with us and Afghans who are vulnerable, including women and children and that is our singular focus at this time," said Harris.

READ MORE: Biden: Afghanistan evacuation among 'most difficult in history'

Criticism over withdrawal

US President Joe Biden has faced criticism at home and abroad over his handling of the withdrawal of US forces and the chaotic evacuation after the lightning takeover by the Taliban.

"We hope Afghanistan does not become an epicentre for terrorism again," said Lee, adding that Singapore had offered transport aircraft to help with evacuations.

Part of Harris's task during the trip will be convincing leaders in Singapore and Vietnam that Washington's commitment to Southeast Asia is firm and not a parallel to Afghanistan.

"Today, we are in Singapore to stress Kamala Harris says US focus on Afghan evacuations, pledges open South China Sea and reaffirm our enduring relationship to this country and in this region, and to reinforce a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region," Harris said.

Singapore's Lee said that perceptions of US resolve and commitment to the region would be determined by "what the US does going forward, how it repositions itself in the region, how it engages its broad range of friends and partners and allies..."

Singapore is not a US treaty ally, but remains one of its strongest security partners in the region with deep trade ties. However, it also seeks to balance its relationships with the United States and China by not taking sides.

"I reaffirmed in our meeting the United States' commitment to working with our allies and partners around the Indo-Pacific to uphold the rules based international order, and freedom of navigation, including in the South China Sea," said Harris.

The disputed South China Sea, a strategic waterway with potential oil and gas riches, has competing claim s by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

READ MORE: UN: Taliban hunting for Afghan targets in 'door-to-door visits'

Security, cyber agreements 

The United States and Singapore reached security agreements on Monday that reaffirm America's presence in the region through "rotational deployments of US P-8 aircraft and littoral combat ships to Singapore," according to a fact sheet of the meeting shared by the White House.

The United States and Singapore also agreed to expand cybersecurity cooperation in the financial sector, the military and enhance information exchange on cyber threats, according to details shared by the White House.

Cybersecurity has risen to the top of the agenda for the Biden administration after a series of high-profile attacks that affected fuel and food supplies in parts of the United States.