Updated July 30, 2020
U.S.-Singapore Relations
Overview
affected individuals, requiring those who came into contact
Though geographically only about three times the size of
with them to quarantine themselves. Individuals found to
Washington, DC, and with a population of about 5.9
have misled health officials are subject to criminal penalties
million, the city-state of Singapore exerts economic and
including fines and the threat of imprisonment. The Health
diplomatic influence on par with much larger countries. Its
Ministry issues updates on individual cases and the
stable government, strong economic performance, educated
numbers of people under care or quarantine, including
citizenry, and strategic position along key shipping lanes
where each individual who has tested positive lives.
afford it a large role in regional and global affairs. For the
United States, Singapore has been a partner in both trade
Singapore Politics
and security initiatives and an advocate of a strong U.S. role
Singapore’s People’s Action Party (PAP) has won every
in the Asia-Pacific region. At the same time, Singapore’s
general election since the end of the British colonial era in
leaders have aimed to maintain close relations with China,
1959, and it continues to enjoy widespread support. The
and to maintain positive ties with all regional powers.
PAP has delivered consistent economic growth, and
benefited from the country’s fragmented opposition and
The United States and Singapore have extensive trade and
pro-incumbent electoral procedures. In recent years, some
investment ties. The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
observers have pointed to changes in the political and social
(FTA), which went into effect in January 2004, was the first
environment that may portend more political pluralism,
U.S. bilateral FTA with an Asian country. Since then, trade
including generational changes and an increasingly
between the two countries has almost doubled. In 2018,
international outlook. In the most recent general election,
U.S.-Singapore trade totaled about $60 billion in goods, and
held in July 2020 against the backdrop of COVID-19, the
Singapore was the 12th largest goods export market for the
PAP won 83 of 93 parliamentary seats, but a record number
United States. That same year, the U.S. trade surplus with
of opposition parties participated, and the PAP’s share of
Singapore amounted to $5.9 billion. Singapore is a party to
the popular vote dropped to 61%, compared with 70% in
the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-
the previous 2015 polls.
Pacific Trade Partnership (CPTPP), an 11-nation agreement
that evolved from the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership
Increasingly, PAP officials are preparing for a change in the
(TPP), from which the United States withdrew in 2017.
party’s leadership. In 2015, the country’s long-time leader
Lee Kuan Yew died. He was widely heralded as the
Although not a U.S. treaty ally, Singapore is one of the
architect of Singapore’s success and its rapid economic
strongest U.S. security partners in the region. A formal
development. Much of the country’s authoritarian politics
strategic partnership agreement allows the United States to
derived from Lee’s efforts to constrain the political
access Singaporean military facilities and facilitates
opposition. Lee’s eldest son, Lee Hsien Loong, is the
cooperation on issues ranging from counterterrorism to
country’s current prime minister, in office since 2004. In
counter-proliferation.
2018, the PAP announced a new party leadership slate, and
a group of younger party leaders chose Finance Minister
Singapore and the COVID-19 Pandemic
Heng Swee Keat as its head, indicating that he is likely to
Although its COVID-19 incidence rate is one of Southeast
succeed Lee as Prime Minister. However, the decline in the
Asia’s highest, Singapore’s fatality rate for the disease is
PAP’s vote total in the most recent polls led many
among the lowest of affected countries. Singapore was one
observers to predict that Lee may remain Prime Minister for
of the first nations outside China to report cases, with its
longer than he had planned to ensure stability.
first infection reported on January 23. Public health experts
praised Singapore’s rapid early actions, including extensive
Singapore’s leaders have acknowledged a “contract” with
monitoring of cases and their contacts, temperature checks
the Singaporean people, under which some individual rights
at building entrances, and clear public messaging. However,
are curtailed in the interest of maintaining a stable,
Singapore experienced a significant “second wave” of
prosperous society. However, PAP leaders speak of the
cases, centered in the crowded quarters where migrant
need to reform the party to respond to the public’s
workers live, which prompted authorities to temporarily
concerns, which appear to focus on rising living costs,
close schools and most businesses, steps that it had avoided
wealth disparities, public health, and immigration. Some
earlier. Its economy contracted by 41.7% in the April-June
observers praise Singapore’s pragmatism, noting its
quarter.
sustained economic growth and high standards of living.
Others criticize the government’s paternalistic approach,
Singapore’s approach to controlling the outbreak included
saying that it stunts creativity and entrepreneurship and
employing the armed forces to make up to 2,000 visits per
contributes to rising income inequality.
day to search for carriers. As new cases were reported,
Singapore health officials conducted detailed interviews of
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U.S.-Singapore Relations
The United States has criticized some aspects of
Singapore Economy and U.S. Trade
Singapore’s political system. The U.S. State Department’s
Relations
2019 Human Rights Report cited “preventive detention by
Singapore’s GDP per capita (PPP) is one of the world’s
the government under various laws that dispense with
highest at $94,100. The country’s role as a regional entrepot
regular judicial due process; monitoring private electronic
means that its economy depends heavily on trade.
or telephone conversations without a warrant; significant
Singapore’s annual trade volumes are more than three times
restrictions on the press and internet, including criminal
the country’s annual GDP, and in 2018, its port handled
libel laws; significant legal and regulatory limitations on the
about 630 million tons of cargo. Singapore exports
rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of association; and
consumer electronics, information technology products, and
a law criminalizing sexual activities between men.” In the
pharmaceuticals. It also is one of the top three oil-refining
past, the party has used defamation suits and libel damages
centers in the world, even though it has no natural resources
to bankrupt opposition politicians.
of its own. China is Singapore’s largest trading partner, and
the United States is its biggest foreign investor. In 2017, the
U.S.-Singapore Defense Cooperation
stock of U.S. foreign direct investment in Singapore totaled
The “Strategic Framework Agreement” formalizes the
$274 billion, accounting for around 80% of total U.S.
bilateral security relationship between the United States and
investment in Southeast Asia. Between 2008 and 2016, the
Singapore. The agreement, which was signed in 2005 and is
TPP was the primary trade initiative between the United
the first of its kind with a non-ally since the Cold War,
States and Singapore. The United States withdrew from the
builds on the U.S. strategy of “places-not-bases”—a
agreement in January 2017, but Singapore, along with 10
concept that aims to provide the U.S. military with access to
other countries, moved ahead with the revised CPTPP.
foreign facilities on a largely rotational basis, thereby
avoiding sensitive sovereignty issues. In 2015, the two
Singapore has pursued a range of trade agreements. It has
countries agreed to an “enhanced” cooperation agreement,
concluded 22 bilateral and regional FTAs, including the
and the United States began deploying surveillance aircraft
U.S.-Singapore FTA (2003) and the CPTPP, and is
to Singapore around the same time. Singapore is a
pursuing several more, including the Regional
substantial market for U.S. military goods, with over $7
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which
billion in sales under the Foreign Military Sales system, in
involves 16 Asian nations. Singapore faces few obstacles
addition to over $37.6 billion in defense articles to
when conducting trade negotiations: it has a mature,
Singapore via Direct Commercial Sales.
globalized economy, virtually no agricultural sector, and its
manufacturing industry is focused on specialized products
The U.S. Navy maintains a logistical command unit—
such as high-end electronics and pharmaceuticals. The
Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific—in
country’s leaders are concerned about the potential impact
Singapore that coordinates regional warship deployments
of Sino-U.S.-trade disputes on the Singapore economy.
and logistics. Singapore’s Changi Naval Base is one of the
few facilities in the world that can accommodate a U.S.
Singapore’s Regional Role
aircraft carrier, and Singapore-stationed littoral combat
Singapore is a founding member of the Association of
ships and P-8 Poseidon aircraft have performed patrols in
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional forum that
the South China Sea, participated in exercises with other
aims to prevent regional disputes and encourage
countries, and provided disaster relief.
cooperation, and helps Southeast Asia’s mostly small
countries influence regional diplomacy. ASEAN’s members
In November 2014, Singapore became the first Southeast
are Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Asian country to join the U.S.-led Global Coalition to
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Counter the Islamic State. Singaporean troops have served
in non-combat roles at U.S. Central Command and at the
Singapore has encouraged greater U.S. engagement in Asia,
Combined Joint Task Force’s headquarters. Singapore
but warned that efforts to “contain” China’s rise are
participates in multilateral regional military exercises and
counterproductive. Of late, Singapore has worked to
several bilateral exercises with the U.S. military on an
smooth its ties with China, at least partly as a hedge against
annual basis. Singapore operates three permanent advanced
possible U.S. disengagement from the region. However, in
fighter jet training detachments in the continental United
2016, Singapore supported an international tribunal’s ruling
States, and in December 2019 the United States and
deeming many of China’s claims in the South China Sea as
Singapore agreed to establish a fourth in Guam.
having no legal basis. Though it adheres to a one-China
policy, Singapore has a strong unofficial relationship with
Law Enforcement Cooperation
Taiwan. Singapore portrays itself as a useful intermediary,
The United States and Singapore engage in ongoing law
providing a bridge to developing countries in fora like
enforcement cooperation. According to some, such
international climate negotiations.
cooperation is crucial, given that Singapore is the busiest
transshipment hub in the world, and is a transit point for
Ben Dolven, Specialist in Asian Affairs
millions of air passengers, including suspected terrorists.
Emma Chanlett-Avery, Specialist in Asian Affairs
Singapore is part of the U.S.-led Container Security
Initiative, and in 2014, the U.S. Customs and Border
IF10228
Protection agency signed three agreements with Singapore,
providing a legal framework for the customs authorities to
together counter trafficking, proliferation, and terrorism.
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U.S.-Singapore Relations
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