Mike Pence, the American vice president, confirmed on Saturday that his country would honour an agreement with Australia over resettling refugees that Donald Trump once described as "dumb".

Meeting at the governor-general's residence with sweeping views of Sydney Harbour and the city's famed opera house, Mr Pence and Malcolm Turnbull, Australia's prime minister, appeared at pains to present a united front following an unusual period of strain between the long-time allies.

The anxieties arose from a spat between Mr Turnbull and Mr Trump over a refugee resettlement deal struck by Barack Obama.