SINGAPORE (Bernama): Singapore and the United States (US) have reaffirmed the mutually beneficial and longstanding bilateral defence partnership between the two nations.
Singapore’s Defence Ministry (Mindef) said the reaffirmation was made during a courtesy call by visiting US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday.
Hegseth arrived in Singapore on Friday to attend the 23rd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) from May 29 to 31.
According to Mindef, Hegseth affirmed the US' continued support for the Singapore Armed Forces' (SFA) training in the US while Wong emphasised Singapore's longstanding support for the US' presence in the region.
"They exchanged views on geopolitical developments and regional security issues, and reiterated their shared commitment to regional peace, stability, and prosperity," the ministry said in a statement on Friday.
In a separate statement, Mindef noted that Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing and Hegseth also held a discussion on the sidelines of the SLD.
They exchanged views on global and regional security developments and discussed how both sides can strengthen defence cooperation.
Hegseth’s visit underscores the strength of the bilateral defence partnership between Singapore and the US as this year also marks the 60th anniversary of Singapore-US diplomatic relations, the ministry added.
Organised by the Britain-headquartered International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 brings together defence ministers, military chiefs, and diplomats from dozens of countries across the world.
Vietnamese leader To Lam is scheduled to deliver the keynote address on Friday evening. -- BERNAMA
