Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met President of the United States of America (U.S.) Donald J. Trump in New York City on 23 September 2019.
Both leaders reaffirmed the enduring and broad-based partnership between Singapore and the U.S. across the economic, defence, and security spheres.
As a clear affirmation of the mutual commitment to the longstanding Singapore-United States defence relationship, Prime Minister Lee and President Trump signed the Protocol of Amendment to the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding (1990 MOU) Regarding United States Use of Facilities in Singapore (2019 AMOU), which allows continued U.S. military access to Singapore’s air and naval bases. The 2019 AMOU renews the 1990 MOU for another 15 years, reflecting Singapore’s ongoing support for the U.S. military presence which has underpinned the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region for almost 30 years. In addition to the 1990 MOU, other milestone agreements include the 2005 Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA), which recognised Singapore as a Major Security Cooperation Partner of the U.S.; and the 2015 enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, which built on the 2005 SFA to deepen existing and new areas of cooperation in non-conventional security. Both sides reaffirmed the good progress of key bilateral defence initiatives, and welcomed Singapore’s decision to acquire four F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, with an option for eight more in the future. More information on the 2019 AMOU is at Appendix.
Prime Minister Lee and President Trump affirmed the mutually beneficial trade and investment ties, anchored by the high-performing U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA). Since the entry into force of the USSFTA in 2004, bilateral trade has more than doubled to almost US$90 billion in 2018. The U.S. is the largest foreign direct investor in Singapore, while Singapore is a significant investor in the U.S.
Prime Minister Lee and President Trump also discussed regional and global developments, and other issues of mutual interest.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
24 SEPTEMBER 2019
Appendix
INFORMATION ON THE PROTOCOL OF AMENDMENT TO THE 1990 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
Singapore and the United States signed the 1990 MOU in November 1990 to establish the U.S. access to Singapore’s air and naval bases. The Protocol of Amendment renews the 1990 MOU for another 15 years, reaffirming both sides commitment to the longstanding and excellent defence ties between both countries.
More information on the Protocol is available at https://www.mindef.gov.sg/web/
For media queries on the Protocol, please contact:
Rachel Teng
Manager (Media Relations)
Ministry of Defence
Tel: +65 9616 7246
Email: Rachel_Teng@mindef.gov.sg
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