US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin on July 26 and 27 visited the Southeast Asian nation and held talks with his Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen, according to a joint announcement issued after the talks.
Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong has called on businesses to help eligible employees get vaccinated, integrate the use of antigen rapid tests into work processes, and continue flexible work arrangements.
Singapore will consider easing COVID-19 prevention rules for people who have been fully vaccinated if the outbreak is still under control and the hospitalisation rate in the country remains low, said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on July 26.
The Government of Singapore will provide a support package worth 1.1 billion SGD, or over 808 million USD, to help businesses and workers impacted by the country’s “Heightened Alert” restrictions put in place from July 22 – August 18.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) have raised their full-year forecast for overall inflation to between 1 percent and 2 percent in 2021, up from the previous prediction of 0.5 percent-1.5 percent.
Singapore and the Pacific Alliance (PA) have concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement, towards the signing of the deal in late 2021, the Singaporean Ministry of Trade and Industry announced on July 22.
Singapore’s government said on July 20 that it will again tighten COVID-19 prevention and control measures, including a ban on dining at restaurants, as new cases continue to rise, while Cambodia recorded the highest ever number of daily imported cases.
The Security and Intelligence Division (SID) of Singapore has launched an official website for the first time as part of its efforts to seek more talents.
Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry on July 14 said that based on advance estimates, the country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 14.3 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2021.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Mai Phuoc Dung on July 13 presented his credentials to Singaporean President Halimah Yacob who expressed her delight at the comprehensive development of the ties between the two countries in all fields, especially since both sides lift up relations to a strategic partnership in September 2013.
Singapore has kept its position as the world's top shipping hub on the 2021 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development (ISCD) Index for the 8th consecutive year.