Australia and Singapore all set to review Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

BYYasir Rehman


2624
Photo: The Australian

Australia and Singapore all set to review Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at 11th Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee (SAJMC) meeting tomorrow (Friday) in Sydney.

Visiting Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing would sit together with Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne, Defence Minister Christopher Pyne and Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham, said a statement issued by the Foreign Minister Office in Canberra.

“The biennial high-level talks are an important opportunity to discuss regional security, including our response to extremism and maritime security in the Indo-Pacific”, said a statement issued by the Foreign Minister Office in Canberra.

The meeting will be co-chaired by Marise Payne and Dr Balakrishnan.

Ministers will also discuss joint priorities for regional forums including ASEAN and the East Asia Summit.

Terming Singapore as a close and trusted partner, the statement said that our strong security relationship is underscored by joint military exercises and close cooperation across defence, intelligence and technology sectors.

Both sides elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2015. Singapore is Australia largest trade and investment relationship in ASEAN, and eighth largest trading partner overall.

Australia and Singapore also have strong ties across education, tourism, and arts and culture. The volume of bilateral Trade reached last year $24.5 billion.

“It is a platform for both sides to discuss bilateral cooperation, including the implementation of the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and exchange views on regional and international developments”, a statement from Singapore Foreign Ministry Wednesday said.