On May 30, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held separate meetings with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing. These discussions took place in Singapore during the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Secretary Hegseth emphasized the robust bilateral defense relationship between the United States and Singapore. He highlighted Singapore's significant role in U.S. efforts to re-establish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region. The leaders shared perspectives on regional security and stressed the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The discussions included commitments to enhance U.S. naval and air force asset rotations in Singapore. This is aligned with the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding Regarding United States Use of Facilities in Singapore, aimed at enabling peace through strength.
Additionally, Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed the U.S.'s commitment to providing high-quality training for Singapore Armed Forces personnel in the United States.