17 Jan 2018
17-Jan-2018
Source: ASEAN Secretariat News
Secretary-General of ASEAN meets PM Lee Hsien Loong for talks on Singapore’s 2018 ASEAN Chairmanship
SINGAPORE, 17 January 2018 – Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi paid a courtesy call on Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana yesterday. This was the Secretary-General’s first call on an ASEAN Head of Government since taking up the Association’s helm earlier this month. The Secretary-General was in Singapore for consultations with key government officials upon Singapore’s assumption of the ASEAN Chairmanship for 2018.
Prime Minister Lee reaffirmed Singapore’s commitment to ASEAN and support for Dato Lim Jock Hoi and the ASEAN Secretariat. The Secretary-General expressed readiness to support Singapore as ASEAN Chair 2018.
The Secretary-General was accompanied by two deputy secretaries-general and ASEAN Secretariat officers representing the Political-Security, Economic and Socio-Cultural pillars of the ASEAN Community.
Apart from his call on Prime Minister Lee, Secretary-General Dato Lim also had meetings with cabinet ministers and officials, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan, Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee and Minister for Higher Education and Skills and Second Minister for Defence Ong Ye Kung.
The ASEAN Secretariat delegation also had separate meetings with Singaporean government agencies who are the focal points of the three ASEAN Community pillars.