Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen is in Washington, D.C., US, from 2 to 4 November 2021 (Singapore time). On 2 and 3 November (Singapore time), he met Senate Armed Services Committee members Senator Tom Cotton and Senator Tammy Duckworth, former Secretary of Defense and Cohen Group Senior Counsellor James Mattis, and former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and Center for a New American Security Chair Michèle Flournoy. He also spoke with former Secretary of Defense and John S. McCain Distinguished Fellow Mark Esper on the phone.

During his engagements with the current and former US officials, Dr Ng reaffirmed the excellent and long-standing defence relationship between Singapore and the US. He expressed appreciation for the US' continued support for the Singapore Armed Forces' training in the US, including the basing of three Republic of Singapore Air Force training detachments there. They also discussed geopolitical developments and security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.

Dr Ng will meet US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin later in the day on 3 November (Singapore time). On 4 November (Singapore time), he will meet Brookings Institution President John Allen and speak at the 12th Aspen Security Forum.