Updated May 20, 2019
U.S.-Singapore Relations
Overview
Lee Kuan Yew died. He was Singapore’s first prime
Though geographically only about three times the size of
minister, serving from 1959 until 1990. He was widely
Washington, DC, and with a population of about 5.9
heralded as the architect of Singapore’s success and its
million, the city-state of Singapore exerts economic and
rapid economic development, although much of the
diplomatic influence on par with much larger countries. Its
country’s authoritarian politics derived from Lee’s efforts
stable government, strong economic performance, educated
to constrain the political opposition. Lee’s eldest son, Lee
citizenry, and strategic position along key shipping lanes
Hsien Loong, is the country’s current prime minister. He
afford it a large role in regional and global affairs. For the
has been in office since 2004, but he has indicated that he
United States, Singapore has been a partner in both trade
wants to step down in the next few years. In November
and security initiatives and an advocate of a strong U.S. role
2018, the PAP announced a new party leadership slate, and
in the Asia-Pacific region. At the same time, Singapore’s
a group of younger party leaders, known as the 4G (fourth
leaders have aimed to maintain close relations with China,
generation) group, chose Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat
and to strike a balance among the region’s powers.
as its head, indicating that he is likely to succeed Lee as
Prime Minister. The government must hold elections by
The United States and Singapore have extensive trade and
January 2021, but many expect polls could be held as early
investment ties. The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
as this year.
(FTA), which went into effect in January 2004, was the first
U.S. bilateral FTA with an Asian country. Since then, trade
Singapore’s leaders have acknowledged a “contract” with
between the two countries has almost doubled. In 2018,
the Singaporean people, under which some individual rights
U.S.-Singapore trade totaled about $60 billion in goods, and
are curtailed in the interest of maintaining a stable,
Singapore was the 12th largest goods export market for the
prosperous society. (In the 1960s, intercommunal violence,
United States. That same year, the U.S. trade surplus with
primarily between ethnic Chinese and Malays, racked the
Singapore amounted to $5.9 billion. Singapore is a party to
country.) However, PAP leaders speak of the need to
the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-
reform the party to respond to the public’s concerns, which
Pacific Trade Partnership (CPTPP), an 11-nation agreement
appear to focus on rising living costs, wealth disparities,
that evolved from the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership
and immigration. Some observers praise Singapore’s
(TPP), from which the United States withdrew in 2017.
pragmatism, noting its sustained economic growth and high
standards of living. Yet, others criticize the government’s
Although it is not a U.S. treaty ally, Singapore is one of the
paternalistic approach, saying that it stunts creativity and
strongest U.S. security partners in the region. A formal
entrepreneurship and contributes to rising income
strategic partnership agreement allows the United States to
inequality.
access Singaporean military facilities, and provides the
basis for U.S.-Singapore cooperation on issues relating to
The United States has criticized some aspects of
counterterrorism, counter-proliferation, and joint military
Singapore’s political system. The U.S. State Department’s
exercises.
2018 Human Rights Report mentioned “preventive
detention by government authorities under various laws that
Singapore Politics
dispense with regular judicial due process; monitoring
Singapore’s People’s Action Party (PAP) has won every
private electronic or telephone communications without a
general election since the end of the British colonial era in
warrant; significant restrictions on the press and online,
1959. Even today, the PAP enjoys widespread support. It
including the use of defamation laws to discourage
has delivered consistent economic growth, and benefited
criticism; [and] laws and regulations significantly limiting
from the country’s fragmented opposition and pro-
the right of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.”
incumbent electoral procedures. In recent years, some
In the past, the party has used defamation suits and libel
observers have pointed to changes in the political and social
damages to bankrupt opposition politicians.
environment that may portend more political pluralism,
including generational changes and an increasingly
U.S.-Singapore Defense Cooperation
international outlook among many Singaporeans. However,
The “Strategic Framework Agreement” formalizes the
in the most recent general election, held in 2015, the PAP
bilateral security relationship between the United States and
won 83 of 89 parliamentary seats. It tallied 69.9% of the
Singapore. The agreement, which was signed in 2005 and is
popular vote, up from an all-time low of 60.1% in 2011. In
the first of its kind with a non-U.S. ally since the Cold War,
Singapore, voting is compulsory, and 93.7% of eligible
builds on the U.S. strategy of “places-not-bases”—a
voters cast ballots in the 2015 election.
concept that aims to provide the U.S. military with access to
foreign facilities on a largely rotational basis, thereby
Increasingly, PAP officials are preparing for a change in the
avoiding sensitive sovereignty issues. In 2015, the United
party’s leadership. In 2015, the country’s long-time leader
States and Singapore agreed to an “enhanced” cooperation
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U.S.-Singapore Relations
agreement, and the United States began deploying
Previously, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was the
surveillance aircraft to Singapore around the same time.
primary trade initiative between the United States and
Singapore is a substantial market for U.S. military goods,
Singapore. The United States withdrew from the agreement
and it has indicated interest in procuring four F-35 jets.
in January 2017, but Singapore, along with 10 other
countries, moved ahead with the revised CPTPP. In March
The U.S. Navy maintains a logistical command unit—
2017, Prime Minister Lee said that the U.S. withdrawal “put
Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific—in
a dent in the degree to which people can be confident in
Singapore that coordinates warship deployments and
America’s policies.”
logistics in the region. Singapore’s Changi Naval Base is
one of the few facilities in the world that can accommodate
As a trade-dependent economy, Singapore has pursued a
a U.S. aircraft carrier, and Singapore-stationed littoral
wide range of trade agreements. It has concluded 22
combat ships (LCSs) have performed patrols in the South
bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs),
China Sea, participated in exercises with other countries,
including the U.S.-Singapore FTA and the CPTPP, and is
and delivered relief supplies to the Philippines after
pursuing several more, including the Regional
Typhoon Haiyan.
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which
involves 16 Asian nations. Singapore faces relatively few
In November 2014, Singapore became the first Southeast
obstacles when conducting trade negotiations. It has a
Asia country to join the U.S.-led Global Coalition to
mature, globalized economy, virtually no agricultural
Counter the Islamic State (IS). Singaporean troops have
sector, and its manufacturing industry is focused on
served in non-combat roles at U.S. Central Command and
specialized products such as high-end electronics and
at the Combined Joint Task Force’s headquarters. The
pharmaceuticals. The country’s leaders, however, are
country also has contributed an air-to-air refueling tanker,
concerned about the impact that Sino-U.S.-trade disputes
an imagery analysis unit, and a medical team to the anti-IS
may have on the Singapore economy.
effort. Singapore also made small contributions to allied
efforts in both Iraq conflicts and Afghanistan, and has
Singapore’s Regional Role
contributed to numerous U.N. peacekeeping operations,
Singapore was a founding member of the Association of
including in Cambodia, Timor-Leste, and Nepal.
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the 10-member
regional forum that helps Southeast Asia’s mostly small
Law Enforcement Cooperation
countries influence regional diplomacy, particularly vis-à-
The United States and Singapore engage in ongoing law
vis China. (ASEAN’s members are Brunei, Burma,
enforcement cooperation. According to some, such
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines,
cooperation is crucial, given that Singapore is the busiest
Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.)
transshipment hub in the world, and is a transit point for
millions of air passengers, including suspected terrorists
Singapore has encouraged greater U.S. engagement in Asia,
from neighboring countries. In the past, some U.S. officials
but it has warned that efforts to “contain” China’s rise
have expressed concerns about Singapore’s willingness to
would be counterproductive. In a May 2019 speech in
cooperate, but the State Department’s most recent Country
Washington DC, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian
Report on Terrorism states that “Singapore [has been] a
Balakrishnan said “viewing China purely as an adversary to
committed, active, and effective counterterrorism partner.”
be contained will not work in the long term, given the entire
Singapore is part of the U.S.-led Container Security
spectrum of issues that will require cooperation between the
Initiative (CSI), and in 2014, the U.S. Customs and Border
U.S. and China.” Of late, Singapore has worked to smooth
Protection agency signed three agreements with the
its ties with China—perhaps at least partly as a hedge
country, providing a legal framework for the two countries’
against possible U.S. disengagement from the region. That
customs authorities to work together to counter trafficking,
being said, in 2016, Singapore supported an international
proliferation, and terrorist-related activities.
tribunal’s ruling against China’s claims in the South China
Sea (SCS). (Singapore is a non-claimant in the SCS dispute,
Singapore Economy and U.S. Trade
and has characterized its stance as neutral.) Singapore has a
Relations
strong relationship with Taiwan, but it nonetheless adheres
Singapore’s GDP per capita (PPP) is one of the world’s
to a one-China policy.
highest at $94,100. The country’s role as a regional entrepot
means that its economy depends heavily on trade.
Singapore also portrays itself as a useful intermediary,
Singapore’s annual trade volumes are more than three times
providing a bridge to developing countries in fora like
the country’s annual GDP, and in 2018, its port handled
international climate negotiations. In June 2018, Singapore
about 630 million tons of cargo. Singapore exports
hosted the first meeting between President Trump and
consumer electronics, information technology products, and
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-Un.
pharmaceuticals. It also is one of the top three oil-refining
centers in the world, even though it has no natural resources
Ben Dolven,
of its own. China is Singapore’s largest trading partner, but
Emma Chanlett-Avery,
the United States is its biggest foreign investor. In 2017, the
stock of U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) in Singapore
IF10228
totaled $274 billion, accounting for around 80% of total
U.S. investment in Southeast Asia.
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U.S.-Singapore Relations
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10228 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED