Singapore's next PM Wong meets top US officials in Washington

Lawrence Wong (left) with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House. - MINISTRY OF FINANCE

WASHINGTON (The Straits Times/Asia News Network) Finance Minister Lawrence Wong discussed the United States' engagement and economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific with top American officials whom he met in Washington on Thursday (April 22).

He met National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House, and they had a candid discussion on global developments and the importance of America's engagement with the region, the minister wrote on Facebook.

He also met Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and said they discussed different strategies to manage inflation, as well as opportunities for economic cooperation in the region.

Wong is in the US for several meetings, including the World Bank-International Monetary Fund (IMF) spring meetings and the second Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting under the 2022 Group of 20 Indonesian presidency.

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His visit to the US comes on the back of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's official visit to the country in late March, during which PM Lee met President Joe Biden and other top US leaders.

During their meeting, Wong and Sullivan "reflected on the strength of the US-Singapore Strategic Partnership and reviewed opportunities to build on the momentum generated by Prime Minister Lee's recent visit to the United States", National Security Council spokesman Adrienne Watson said in a statement on Thursday (April 21).

She added that they discussed regional and global issues, including Russia's war against Ukraine, Covid-19 and health security, the crisis in Myanmar, and shared efforts to develop an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework that advances inclusive and sustainable prosperity.

The framework will be the Biden administration's economic strategy for the Asia-Pacific region, involving principles for digital economies, supply chain resilience, clean energy investments and labour and environmental standards, among other issues. It has not yet been unveiled.

Wong met Italian Finance Minister Daniele Franco as well, and wrote on Facebook that there were "many more things that both Italy and Singapore can do together".

He said that his day of meetings was productive.

"Always useful to have face-to-face meetings with my counterparts to reaffirm our cooperation and discuss new areas of growth.

"Such discussions help to bring more opportunities to Singapore and Singaporeans - amongst other things," he added.

Wong then travelled via train to New York, where he will meet business leaders and Singaporeans based there.