US defence chief Hegseth meets Singapore PM Wong, reaffirms strong defence ties
Hegseth also met Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue to discuss US-Singapore security cooperation
The meeting marked the first by a Cabinet official from the current US administration to call on Wong since he assumed office. According to Singapore’s Ministry of Defence, the two “reaffirmed the excellent and long-standing bilateral defence relations” between their countries and exchanged views on regional security developments.
Hegseth also reiterated Washington’s support for the Singapore Armed Forces’ training in the US, while Wong emphasised Singapore’s consistent backing of America’s military presence in the Asia-Pacific.
Chan, attending the regional security summit for the first time as defence minister, later said in a statement that continued US engagement was “vital for regional peace, stability and prosperity”.