Singapore, US reaffirm bilateral defence ties

Singaporean Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen has held phone talks with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, during which they reaffirmed strong bilateral defence ties between the two countries and their desire to further deepen the relations.

Singapore's Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen (left) and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin

In his Facebook post on March 3, Ng Eng Hen said that during their phone talks, the two sides discussed security challenges in the region, including the persistent threat of terrorism.

The minister said that he looks forward to working closely with Austin to ensure that the region continues to enjoy stability, peace and progress.

The phone talks was a meeting of minds, shared perspectives and values on the foundations of stability and progress - the rule of law, peaceful settlement of disputes, multilateral cooperation and mutual benefits, according to the Singaporean minister.

Meanwhile, in a statement on March 4, the US Department of Defence said the two ministers reaffirmed their mutual commitment to the US-Singapore bilateral defence relationship.

Austin also expressed appreciation for the regional access that Singapore provides to US forces, and both leaders expressed interest in further collaboration on counterterrorism./.

VNA