U.S.-Singapore Relations

U.S.-Singapore Relations

Updated May 20, 2024
U.S.-Singapore Relations
Overview
Singapore is in the midst of a generational shift in
With a land area about three times that of Washington, DC,
leadership. Lawrence Wong, 51, took office as Prime
and a population of 5.9 million, the city-state of Singapore
Minister on May 15, 2024, succeeding Lee Hsien Loong,
has long punched above its weight diplomatically. Its stable
who had led Singapore for nearly 20 years. Wong is the
government, strong economy, educated citizenry, and
fourth Prime Minister in the nation’s history and the first
strategic setting along key shipping lanes afford it
born after Singapore’s independence. Wong attended the
considerable leverage and a prominent role in regional and
University of Wisconsin-Madison and Harvard’s Kennedy
global affairs. Singapore has been a stalwart U.S. partner in
School of Government. He held numerous government
both trade and security cooperation, and is an advocate of a
leadership positions before becoming Deputy Prime
strong U.S. role in the Indo-Pacific. At the same time,
Minister and successor to Lee, and won favor for his
Singapore’s leaders aim to strike a balance among powers
handling of the city-state’s COVID-19 pandemic response.
and maintain close relations with China.
Few analysts believe that Singapore’s broad policy
The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA)—the
direction will shift under a new leadership slate. Still,
United States’ first bilateral FTA with an Asian country—
Wong’s elevation marks at least a symbolic shift.
went into effect in January 2004 and trade has increased
Singapore’s first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, led the
since. In 2022, Singapore was the 15th-largest U.S. trading
country for 32 years and was widely heralded as the
partner, with $78 billion in total two-way goods trade. The
architect of Singapore’s success as a nation and its rapid
city-state is also a destination for substantial U.S. foreign
economic development, although much of the country’s
direct investment (FDI). Singapore is a member of the
authoritarian practices derived from Lee’s efforts to
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-
constrain political opposition. Lee Hsien Loong is the
Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) that replaced the Trans-Pacific
senior Lee’s eldest son, and between the two of them they
Partnership (TPP), from which the United States withdrew
served as Prime Minister for most of Singapore’s history.
in 2017. It also is part of the Biden Administration’s Indo-
New Parliamentary elections must be held by November
Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) initiative.
2025; many analysts believe Wong may call them sooner.
Mutual security interests undergird ties between Singapore
and the United States. Although Singapore is not a U.S.
Figure 1. Singapore
treaty ally, many observers consider the U.S. security
partnership with the city-state to be one of the strongest in
the Indo-Pacific region. In August 2021, the two nations
announced new agreements to address climate change,
cybersecurity, and supply chain resilience. The two also
cooperate on the U.S.-Singapore Third Country Training
Program, which has provided capacity-building programs
for other Southeast Asian governments since 2011.
Singapore’s Politics

Despite the generational shifts, the PAP still acknowledges
The People’s Action Party (PAP) has won every general
a “contract” with the Singaporean people, under which
election in the city-state since the end of the British colonial
some individual rights are curtailed in the interest of
era in 1959, aided by its success in delivering consistent
maintaining a stable and prosperous multiethnic society.
economic growth, as well as Singapore’s fragmented
PAP leaders also speak of a need to reform the party to
opposition and electoral procedures that strongly favor the
respond to the public’s concerns, which appear to focus on
ruling party. In recent years, some observers have pointed
the rising cost of living, wealth disparities, and an influx of
to changes in the political and social environment that may
immigrants. (Roughly 2.1 million of Singapore’s 5.9
portend more political pluralism, including generational
million permanent residents are non-citizens.)
changes and an increasingly international outlook among
Singaporeans. The PAP remains dominant, however. In the
The government of Singapore has long taken a hard line on
most recent nationwide elections, held in July 2020, the
corruption, and attributed much of its success to clean
PAP won 83 of 93 seats in parliament, with 61% of the
government. However, Singapore weathered a series of
popular vote, down from almost 70% five years earlier. The
corruption scandals in 2023. Transportation Minister S.
Workers’ Party won 10 seats, a record number for an
Iswaran was arrested as part of an anti-graft investigation
opposition party. About 96% of eligible Singaporeans
and placed on leave from the government. The Speaker of
voted, as they are legally required to do except in
Parliament and a Member of Parliament were forced to
uncontested races. Singapore must hold its next general
resign over an “inappropriate relationship,” and the Foreign
elections by November 2025.
and Home Affairs Ministers came under parliamentary
scrutiny for potentially renting government-owned
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U.S.-Singapore Relations
properties at below market rates, though they were
partner.” Among U.S. priorities are improving Singapore’s
ultimately found not guilty.
port security, where the Department of Homeland Security
hopes to see Singapore make greater use of advance
The United States has criticized some aspects of
Singapore’s political system. The U.S. State Department’s
manifests to screen containers through its busy port, as well
as strengthening the bilateral extradition treaty.
Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2022 described
“serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media,
Singapore’s Economy and U.S. Trade
including the enforcement of criminal libel laws to limit
Relations
expression.” The political careers of several opposition
Singapore has a pro-trade liberalization policy: it has a
politicians have been marked by characteristic obstacles
mature, globalized economy, virtually no agricultural
erected by the ruling party, including being forced to
sector, and its manufacturing industry is focused on
declare bankruptcy for failing to pay libel damages to
specialized products such as high-end electronics and
prominent PAP members.
pharmaceuticals. Singapore’s GDP per capita (at PPP) is
U.S.-Singapore Defense Cooperation
one of the world’s highest at over $116,400. The value of
Singapore’s annual trade throughput is more than three
The U.S.-Singapore Strategic Framework Agreement
times the country’s annual GDP and, in 2022, its port
(SFA), which was signed in 2005, builds on the U.S.
strategy of “places
handled about 578 million tons of cargo, making it one of
-not-bases”—a concept that aims to
the world’s busiest. China is Singapore’s largest trading
provide the U.S. military with access to foreign facilities on
partner. The United States is its biggest foreign investor: in
a largely rotational basis, thereby avoiding sensitive
2022, the stock of U.S. FDI in Singapore totaled $309
sovereignty issues. The agreement allows the United States
billion. Some 5,400 U.S. companies operate in Singapore.
to operate resupply vessels from Singapore and to use a
naval base, a ship repair facility, and an airfield on the
As a highly trade-dependent economy, Singapore has
island-state. The U.S. Navy also maintains a logistical
concluded at least 19 bilateral and multilateral FTAs.
command unit in Singapore that serves to coordinate
Singapore is an active participant in the Biden
warship deployment and logistics in the region. Singapore’s
Administration’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)
Changi Naval base is one of the few facilities in the world
initiative, and participates in IPEF’s pillars on trade, supply
that can accommodate a U.S. aircraft carrier, allowing for
chains, clean energy, and fair trade.
regular port visits. Singapore-stationed U.S. littoral combat
Singapore’s Regional Role
ships and P-8 Poseidon aircraft have undertaken patrols in
Singapore is a founding member of the Association of
the South China Sea, participated in exercises with other
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the 10-member
countries, and provided disaster relief. Singaporean troops
regional forum that helps Southeast Asia’s relatively small
have served in non-combat roles at U.S. Central Command
and at the Combined Joint Task Force’s headquarters.
countries manage regional conflicts and influence regional

diplomacy, particularly vis-à-vis China. Singapore portrays
The United States and Singapore hold dialogues and other
itself as a valuable balancer and intermediary in
cooperative initiatives on a range of security issues,
international affairs, using its ties to all major powers to
including cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and space. In
promote cooperation and providing a bridge to developing
August 2021, the United States and Singapore signed three
countries in fora such as international climate negotiations.
MOUs to deepen communication on cybersecurity.
Singapore has also played a role in global counterpiracy
Singapore has praised greater U.S. engagement in Asia, yet
efforts, including serving as the Commander of the Gulf of
has been careful to warn that anti-China rhetoric or efforts
Aden counterpiracy Combined Task Force-151 in 2018.
to “contain” China’s rise would be counterproductive.
Singapore’s ties with Beijing are multifaceted and extend to
Singapore is a substantial market for U.S. military goods,
cultural, political, educational, and, increasingly, defense
with $8.38 billion in active sales under the Foreign Military
exchanges. Singapore adheres to a one-China policy, but
Sales system as of March 2023. In addition, from 2019
has extensive relations with Taiwan, including an
through 2021, the United States authorized the permanent
agreement signed in 1975 that allows Singapore troops to
export of over $26.3 billion in defense articles to Singapore
train in Taiwan. A 2021 Pew Research Center report
via Direct Commercial Sales. In 2020, the State Department
approved Singapore’s request to procure four F
underscored that Singaporean views of China and its
-35 jets,
leadership are broadly positive, despite a global trend of
with the option to purchase eight more. Over 1,000
more skeptical views of Beijing.
Singapore military personnel are assigned to U.S. military
bases, where they participate in training, exercises, and
Some observers believe Singapore could play an important
professional military education. Singapore has operated
role in diplomacy surrounding the political crisis in Burma
advanced fighter jet and helicopter detachments in the
(Myanmar), where the military seized power in a February
continental United States for over 25 years.
2021, coup d’etat. Singapore is one of Burma’s largest
Law Enforcement Cooperation
trading partners and sources of direct investment, and
The United States and Singapore engage in ongoing law
reportedly has been an important banking and health-care
enforcement cooperation. Singapore is a transit point for
center for senior Burmese military officials.
millions of air passengers annually. Singapore’s busy port
also is a trans-shipment hub. The State Department’s 2022
Ben Dolven, Specialist in Asian Affairs
Country Reports on Terrorism said, “Singapore remained a
committed, active, and effective CT [counterterrorism]
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U.S.-Singapore Relations

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