Vice President Kamala Harris held separate conversations with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore. She conveyed her regret for being unable to visit Singapore due to the wildfires in Los Angeles. Vice President Harris expressed gratitude for the cooperation between the Biden-Harris Administration and Singapore in enhancing bilateral relations.
The discussions covered her ongoing involvement in the Indo-Pacific region, highlighting initiatives launched during her August 2021 visit to Singapore. These initiatives focus on climate change, clean energy, cyber cooperation, supply chains, emerging technology, and military collaboration. The Vice President emphasized the importance of maintaining international rules and norms globally, particularly concerning freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.
Further dialogue addressed ASEAN centrality and strengthening U.S.-ASEAN ties under the Biden-Harris Administration. This includes Vice President Harris's participation in significant summits such as the 2023 U.S.-ASEAN Summit in Jakarta and the 2022 U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit in Washington, D.C. She reiterated that the United States holds enduring interests and commitments in the Indo-Pacific region and expressed optimism about Southeast Asia's future dynamism.
In her conversation with Senior Minister Lee, Vice President Harris thanked him for his hospitality during her 2021 visit to Singapore. She appreciated their meaningful engagements over recent years.
