Preamble

Thank you. Just allow me to say a few words. I want to personally thank Secretary Mark Esper. This is strong leadership that has allowed two very important events and as you have mentioned, the signing of the MoU, which is the renewal of the MoU first agreed on in 1990 by our founding Prime Minister Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and US Vice President Dan Quayle and just last month, between the current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Trump.

It reaffirms Singapore's position that the stability of our region, the Asia-Pacific region, requires influence and presence of the US in our region. This particular MoU that we both signed enables us to have training opportunities in Guam, as we've also had now in Mountain Home and Luke. And it allows the RSAF fighter force to be able to achieve the operational readiness. I want to thank you very much for all the training opportunities and for allowing us to train and also for sharing our perspectives on regional defence. I look forward to deepening our defence ties further and again thank you for these opportunities that this MoU gives us.