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Singapore reaffirms relations with US

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and visiting US Vice President Joe Biden reasserted the bilateral relationship, especially in security and trade, during their talks on July 26.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and visiting US VicePresident Joe Biden reasserted the bilateral relationship, especially insecurity and trade, during their talks on July 26.

The US plays a ‘constructive role’ in the Asia Pacific region,which is vividly manifested through its engagement in the Trans-PacificPartnership (TPP) negotiations, PM Lee said after the talks.

Both leaders applauded Japan ’s recent participation in TPPnegotiations in Malaysia , looking towards a free trade area thataccounts for 40 percent of the global GDP.

"TPP is not only an ambition, it's doable," Biden added, promising to get the TPP negotiations done in 2013.

As for security partnership, Biden said the two countries need tocooperate more closely in dealing with proliferation and other emergingthreats, as well as maintaining and boosting their militaryrelationship.

Biden is on his three-day visitin Singapore from July 25 to 27. He also called on President TonyTan, and former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew on July 26.

He is scheduled to visit the Pratt & Whitney aircraft engineoverhaul facility and the US littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Freedom atthe Changi Naval Base on July 27.-VNA.
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