US Vice-President Kamala Harris’ recent trip to Southeast Asia was largely overshadowed by the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Still, Harris’ diplomatic trip emphasized the Biden Administration’s desire to pivot to Asia at the end of America’s longest war.
A former senior official in the Obama Administration says Harris’ week-long visit to Vietnam and Singapore “assures allies and underscores the U.S. as a stable partner.” The region is weary of being caught in a back-and-forth between the United States and China. By dispatching the Vice-President and shipping much-needed COVID-19 vaccines, the White House was able to ease such concerns and mark US return after a four-year absence during the Trump Administration.
While there are some that believe the Vice-President should have visited Cambodia in a bid to pry the nation from China’s “back-pocket” , many experts believe the trip was a good first step.
Key visits from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in India and Ambassador Wendy Sherman in Japan and South Korea followed by the Vice-President recent trip –many believe–signals to the region the United States is back.
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