Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen (R) and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin on the sidelines of the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue. (Photo: https://www.mindef.gov.sg/)

The Singaporean Ministry of Defence’s press release stated that Minister Ng Eng Hen expressed appreciation for the US' long-standing support for the Singapore Armed Forces' training in the US, including the basing of the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) training detachments there.

The officers also looked forward to opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly through the RSAF's acquisition and operationalisation of the F-35Bs. They also discussed geopolitical developments in the Asia-Pacific region, and agreed on the importance of the US' continued engagement.

Austin appreciated Singapore's consistent support for the US' military presence in the region, including the hosting of rotational deployments.

The two sides exchanged views on ways to build a robust, open and inclusive regional architecture, with the US reaffirming their contributions to defence capacity-building through the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM ).

Austin's third visit to Singapore and participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue is part of his 7th visit to the Indo-Pacific region, including Japan, Singapore and India. He will speak at a plenary session of the Shangri-La Dialogue on June 3./.