US Vice-President to Pay Visit to Southeast Asia

US Vice-President Kamala Harris will pay her first official visit to southeast Asia this Sunday, Reuters reported on Friday.

Harris program will include visits to two countries: Singapore, and Vietnam. The target of the visit is enhancing US presence in Southeast Asia.

Although this visit was scheduled before Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the US Vice-President will discuss  various geopolitical topics.

Harris will be the top-ranked senior White House official who will pay such a trip since President Joe Biden took the office early this year.

In the same context, senior White House official told Reuters that the US Vice-President will target assuring US presence in the region, in addition to calling for respecting international law rules in the South China Sea.

The official continued: "he administration is ... making clear that we have an enduring commitment to this region, that we're part of the Indo-Pacific and in the region to stay."

"It's been an overwhelming focus and priority of the whole team including the vice president ... at the same time, it is also true that Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific are really important. And that's why she's going," the official added.

Harris' program will include a meeting with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loon. Furthermore, she will have several discussions with representatives from the government and the private sector.

Moreover, meetings with Vietnamese President Ngyuen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Ming Chinh will be included in her visit.