Updated April 17, 2024
U.S.-Singapore Relations
Overview
uncontested races. Singapore must hold its next general
With a land area about three times that of Washington, DC,
elections by November 2025.
and a population of 5.9 million, the city-state of Singapore
Singapore is in the midst of a generation shift in leadership.
has long punched above its weight diplomatically. Its stable
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 72, announced in April
government, strong economy, educated citizenry, and
that he would retire on May 15, turning the reins to Deputy
strategic setting along key shipping lanes afford it
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Few analysts believe that
considerable leverage and a prominent role in regional and
Singapore’s broad policy direction will shift under a new
global affairs. Singapore has been a stalwart U.S. partner in
leadership slate, but the transition will mark a shift.
both trade and security cooperation, and is an advocate of a
Singapore’s first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, led the
strong U.S. role in the Indo-Pacific. At the same time,
Singapore’s leaders aim to strike a balance among powers
country for 32 years and was widely heralded as the
architect of Singapore’s success as a nation and its rapid
and maintain close relations with China.
economic development, although much of the country’s
The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA)—the
authoritarian practices derived from Lee’s efforts to
United States’ first bilateral FTA with an Asian country—
constrain political opposition. Lee Hsien Loong is the
went into effect in January 2004 and trade has increased
senior Lee’s eldest son, and between the two of them they
since. In 2022, Singapore was the 15th-largest U.S. trading
have been Prime Minister for most of Singapore’s history.
partner, with $78 billion in total two-way goods trade. The
city-state is also a destination for substantial U.S. foreign
Figure 1. Singapore
direct investment (FDI). Singapore is a member of the
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-
Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) that replaced the Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP), from which the United States withdrew
in 2017. It also is part of the Biden Administration’s Indo-
Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) initiative.
Mutual security interests also undergird ties between
Singapore and the United States. Although Singapore is not
a U.S. treaty ally, many U.S. and regional observers
Despite the generational shifts, the PAP still acknowledges
consider the U.S. security partnership with the city-state to
a “contract” with the Singaporean people, under which
be one of the strongest in the Indo-Pacific region. In August
some individual rights are curtailed in the interest of
2021, the two nations announced new agreements to
maintaining a stable and prosperous multiethnic society.
address climate change, cybersecurity, and supply chain
resilience. The two also cooperate on the U.S.-Singapore
PAP leaders also speak of a need to reform the party to
respond to the public’s concerns, which appear to focus on
Third Country Training Program, which has provided
the rising cost of living, wealth disparities, and an influx of
capacity-building programs for other Southeast Asian
immigrants. (Roughly 2.1 million of Singapore’s 5.9
governments since 2011.
million permanent residents are non-citizens.)
Singapore’s Politics
The government of Singapore has long taken a hard line on
The People’s Action Party (PAP) has won every general
corruption, and attributed much of its success to clean
election in the city-state since the end of the British colonial
government. However, Singapore weathered a series of
era in 1959, aided by its success in delivering consistent
corruption scandals in 2023. In July, Transportation
economic growth, as well as Singapore’s fragmented
Minister S. Iswaran was arrested as part of an anti-graft
opposition and electoral procedures that strongly favor the
investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau,
ruling party. In recent years, some observers have pointed
and placed on leave from the government. Also in July, the
to changes in the political and social environment that may
Speaker of Parliament and a Member of Parliament were
portend more political pluralism, including generational
forced to resign over an “inappropriate relationship,” and
changes and an increasingly international outlook among
the Foreign and Home Affairs Ministers came under
Singaporeans. The PAP remains dominant, however. In the
parliamentary scrutiny for potentially renting government-
most recent nationwide elections, held in July 2020, the
owned properties at below market rates, though they were
PAP won 83 of 93 seats in parliament, with 61% of the
ultimately found not guilty.
popular vote, down from almost 70% five years earlier. The
Workers’ Party won 10 seats, a record number for an
The United States has criticized some aspects of
Singapore’s political system. The U.S. State Department’s
opposition party. About 96% of eligible Singaporeans
voted, as they are legally required to do except in
Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2022 described
“serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media,
including the enforcement of criminal libel laws to limit
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U.S.-Singapore Relations
expression.” The political careers of several opposition
manifests to screen containers through its busy port, as well
politicians have been marked by characteristic obstacles
as strengthening the bilateral extradition treaty.
erected by the ruling party, including being forced to
declare bankruptcy for failing to pay libel damages to
Singapore’s Economy and U.S. Trade
prominent PAP members.
Relations
Singapore has a pro-trade liberalization policy: it has a
U.S.-Singapore Defense Cooperation
mature, globalized economy, virtually no agricultural
The U.S.-Singapore Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA)
sector, and its manufacturing industry is focused on
formalizes the bilateral security relationship. The
specialized products such as high-end electronics and
agreement, which was signed in 2005, builds on the U.S.
pharmaceuticals. Singapore’s GDP per capita (at PPP) is
strategy of “places-not-bases”—a concept that aims to
one of the world’s highest at over $116,400. The value of
provide the U.S. military with access to foreign facilities on
Singapore’s annual trade throughput is more than three
a largely rotational basis, thereby avoiding sensitive
times the country’s annual GDP and, in 2022, its port
sovereignty issues. The agreement allows the United States
handled about 578 million tons of cargo, making it one of
to operate resupply vessels from Singapore and to use a
the world’s busiest. China is Singapore’s largest trading
naval base, a ship repair facility, and an airfield on the
partner. The United States is its biggest foreign investor: in
island-state. The U.S. Navy also maintains a logistical
2022, the stock of U.S. FDI in Singapore totaled $309
command unit in Singapore that serves to coordinate
billion. Some 5,400 U.S. companies operate in Singapore.
warship deployment and logistics in the region. Singapore’s
As a highly trade-dependent economy, Singapore has
Changi Naval base is one of the few facilities in the world
concluded at least 19 bilateral and multilateral FTAs.
that can accommodate a U.S. aircraft carrier, allowing for
Singapore is an active participant in the Biden
regular port visits. Singapore-stationed U.S. littoral combat
Administration’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)
ships and P-8 Poseidon aircraft have undertaken patrols in
initiative, and participates in IPEF’s pillars on trade, supply
the South China Sea, participated in exercises with other
chains, clean energy, and fair trade.
countries, and provided disaster relief. Singaporean troops
have served in non-combat roles at U.S. Central Command
Singapore’s Regional Role
and at the Combined Joint Task Force’s headquarters.
Singapore is a founding member of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the 10-member
The United States and Singapore hold dialogues and other
regional forum that helps Southeast Asia’s relatively small
cooperative initiatives on a range of security issues,
countries manage regional conflicts and influence regional
including cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and space. In
diplomacy, particularly vis-à-vis China. Singapore portrays
August 2021, the United States and Singapore signed three
itself as a valuable balancer and intermediary in
MOUs to deepen communication on cybersecurity.
international affairs, using its strong ties to all major powers
Singapore has also played a role in global counterpiracy
to promote cooperation and providing a bridge to
efforts, including serving as the Commander of the Gulf of
developing countries in fora such as international climate
Aden counterpiracy Combined Task Force-151 in 2018.
negotiations.
Singapore is a substantial market for U.S. military goods,
with $8.38 billion in active sales under the Foreign Military
Singapore has praised greater U.S. engagement in Asia, yet
Sales system as of March 2023. In addition, from 2019
has been careful to warn that anti-China rhetoric or efforts
through 2021, the United States authorized the permanent
to “contain” China’s rise would be counterproductive.
export of over $26.3 billion in defense articles to Singapore
Singapore’s ties with Beijing are multifaceted and extend to
via Direct Commercial Sales. In 2020, the State Department
cultural, political, educational, and, increasingly, defense
approved Singapore’s request to procure four F-35 jets,
exchanges. Singapore adheres to a one-China policy, but
with the option to purchase eight more. Over 1,000
has extensive relations with Taiwan, including an
Singapore military personnel are assigned to U.S. military
agreement signed in 1975 that allows Singapore troops to
bases, where they participate in training, exercises, and
train in Taiwan. A 2021 Pew Research Center report
professional military education. Singapore has operated
underscored that Singaporean views of China and its
advanced fighter jet and helicopter detachments in the
leadership are broadly positive, despite a global trend of
continental United States for over 25 years.
more skeptical views of Beijing.
Law Enforcement Cooperation
Some observers believe Singapore could play an important
The United States and Singapore engage in ongoing law
role in diplomacy surrounding the political crisis in Burma
enforcement cooperation. Singapore is a transit point for
millions of air passengers annually. Singapore’s busy port
(Myanmar), where the military seized power in a February
2021, coup d’etat. Singapore is one of Burma’s largest
also is a trans-shipment hub. The State Department’s 2022
trading partners and sources of direct investment, and
Country Reports on Terrorism said, “Singapore remained a
reportedly has been an important banking and health-care
committed, active, and effective CT [counterterrorism]
partner.” Among U.S. priorities are improving Singapore’s
center for senior Burmese military officials.
port security, where the Department of Homeland Security
hopes to see Singapore make greater use of advance
Ben Dolven, Specialist in Asian Affairs
IF10228
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U.S.-Singapore Relations
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