On May 30, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held separate meetings with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing in Singapore. These discussions took place during the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Secretary Hegseth emphasized the strong 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 their perspectives on regional security and stressed the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The talks included commitments to increase rotations of U.S. naval and air force assets in Singapore, aligning with the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding Regarding United States Use of Facilities in Singapore. This move aims to enable the United States to maintain peace through strength.
Additionally, Secretary Hegseth reiterated the U.S.'s commitment to providing high-quality training for Singapore Armed Forces personnel in the United States.
