Singapore and the US Strengthen Defence Relations Through Strategic Security Policy Dialogue

Permanent Secretary (Defence) Mr Chan Heng Kee (second from right) and the United States (US) Under Secretary of War for Policy Mr Elbridge Colby (first from left) co-chaired the 15th Singapore-US Strategic Security Policy Dialogue at the Pentagon, Washington D.C. (Photo Credit: US Department of War)

Mr Chan (right) met with US Secretary of the Army Mr Daniel Driscoll (left). (Photo Credit: US Department of War)

Permanent Secretary (Defence) Mr Chan Heng Kee and the United States (US) Under Secretary of War for Policy Mr Elbridge Colby co-chaired the 15th Singapore-US Strategic Security Policy Dialogue (SSPD) at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. on 7 Nov (Singapore Time). Established in 2006, the annual dialogue is the highest-level institutionalised policy platform between both countries’ defence establishments, and serves to set the strategic direction for the Singapore-US bilateral defence relationship.

During the dialogue, Mr Chan and Mr Colby reaffirmed the excellent and longstanding bilateral defence relationship and mutually-beneficial partnership between Singapore and the US. Mr Chan expressed appreciation for the US’ strong support for the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) training and defence technology requirements. They discussed opportunities to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation under the ambit of the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding Regarding United States Use of Facilities in Singapore, as well as in defence technology and defence industrial base cooperation. They also exchanged views on geopolitical developments, and reaffirmed the importance of the US’ continued engagement of the region, including through the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus framework. In addition to high-level dialogues like the SSPD, Singapore and US interact regularly through bilateral and multilateral training exercises such as Exercise Pacific Griffin, Exercise Tiger Balm, Exercise Valiant Mark, and Exercise Cope Tiger.

Mr Chan, who was in Washington D.C. from 5 Nov to 7 Nov (Singapore Time), also met Secretary of the Army Mr Daniel Driscoll, and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Mr Thomas DiNanno.