Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (Photo: AFP/VNA) Singapore (VNA) – Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong began his six-day visit to the US on October 21, aiming to strengthen the bilateral partnership, according to Singapore media.
The prime minister is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump on October 23.
He will also meet with US Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, National Security Advisor McMaster, and Director of the National Economic Council Gary Cohn.
A deal to buy Boeing aircraft is hoped to be signed on this occasion.
Singapore is a key economic and security partner of the US in Asia. Trade and investment activities of Singapore generate 250,000 jobs in the US while bilateral trade with the US accounts for 20 percent of Singapore’s gross domestic product GDP). Singapore is also the sole Asian partner contributing personnel and military equipment for the US-led coalition against the self-claimed Islamic State (IS).
Singapore will take over the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2018, which is also viewed as an important transitional year of the negotiation between ASEAN and China on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).-VNA
