Obama points to 'extraordinary relationship' with Singapore

By Robin Chan, The Straits Times, 4 Apr 2013

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama highlighted the "extraordinary relationship" between Singapore and the United States, as he hosted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Oval Office in the White House.

Addressing reporters just before the two men met on Tuesday, Mr Obama described Mr Lee as a "good friend" and Singapore as an "outstanding economic partner".

"Singapore is one of the most successful countries in the world," he said. "I think its progress and development over the last several decades has been an example for many countries around the world."

And as it rebalances towards Asia, Mr Obama said the US would continue to "seek out the advice and good counsel of Singapore, in how to effect that in a way that creates not only strong security but also increased prosperity for both the US and the countries in the region".

He added: "As a leader in Asean and the East Asia Summit, they've provided, I think, a steady vision of how countries in the Pacific region can cooperate effectively for the prosperity and security of all, and are strong promoters of rules of the road and international norms that the US strongly supports.

"Personally, I can tell you there are very few world leaders whom I am more appreciative of in terms of their advice, counsel and thoughtful analysis than Prime Minister Lee."

Mr Obama also thanked Singapore for its defence cooperation as the first of up to four American littoral combat ships arrives in Singapore later this month.

Dr Mark Borthwick, director of the US Asia Pacific Council at the East-West Centre, said Mr Obama's remarks were unusual and very strong. "He used the adjective 'extraordinary' not once but twice to refer to the relationship, and couched his remarks in unusually personal terms with reference to his growing up in the region," he observed.

Mr Lee met Mr Obama on the second day of his four-day visit to the country, his first there since 2010. The Prime Minister also paid tribute to their strong ties and said Singapore wants to help further US engagement with Asia.

"Singapore will do our part, what we can, to help America engage the region constructively, productively and in a way which fosters stability and prosperity for all the countries," he said.

During the half-hour meeting, the two leaders pledged to sustain greater economic engagement and promote bilateral trade and investment, said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

Mr Lee also invited Mr Obama to Singapore.

The meeting was the first in what was a busy day for Mr Lee. He also met US Vice-President Joe Biden and World Bank group president Jim Yong Kim.

In the evening, he spoke at a gala dinner where he reassured top US business leaders that Singapore would continue to open its doors to foreign talent and investments, even as it restructures its economy.

Yesterday, Mr Lee met Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and Secretary of State John Kerry before travelling to New York for the second leg of his visit.

S'pore remains pro-business: PM Lee
It will continue to welcome foreign talent and investments
By Robin Chan, The Straits Times, 4 Apr 2013

WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has assured America's captains of industry that Singapore remains pro-business and continues to welcome foreign talent and investments to its shores.

Singapore is unwavering in its goal to grow a dynamic economy, he said, and will promise efficiency, predictability and high standards.

Growth, however, will slow as the country goes for qualitative change in restructuring its maturing economy, he added.

But he told the business leaders: "I want to assure everyone here that Singapore remains open for business.

"We are focused on growing a vibrant economy, to generate opportunities for Singaporeans and to create opportunities for companies to come to Singapore, to prosper in Singapore.

"We continue to welcome talent and investments, while being mindful of our physical and social constraints."

Mr Lee's assurance comes amid concern by foreign investors that Singapore is closing its doors as it continues to tighten the inflow of foreign workers, and Singaporeans' heightened resentment of foreigners, whom they blame for rising property prices and overcrowded public transport.

About 300 top corporate leaders were at the dinner on Tuesday hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-Asean Business Council.

They represent a wide swathe of industries, ranging from manufacturers like Procter and Gamble to energy giant ExxonMobil, both of whom have significant investments in Singapore.

In his speech, PM Lee, whose four-day visit to the United States ends today, also dwelt on free trade and developments in Asia, especially China.

He called on the US to push harder and more vigorously to increase trade with Asean, even while seeking to create an Asia- Pacific free trade area via the Trans-Pacific Partnership of 11 countries that includes Singapore and Japan.

Besides Asean's market of 600 million people, he noted that China is a top trading partner in almost all countries in South-east Asia.

"In Asia, trade is strategy. A more active trade agenda will benefit the US economically and strategically," Mr Lee said.

Finding new markets and keeping markets open are critical to America's long-term growth and employment, he added.

"The important thing is to have trade on the front burner, make it part of your toolbox, of skills, of tools, of instruments, which can bring about influence and prosperity in the world, and keep the US one of the leading economies in the world," he said.

On Asia, Mr Lee highlighted the key role of China on the world stage, even as it seeks to modernise itself.

As it looks for such models worldwide, it eyes Singapore and "tries to understand how we seek to balance our economic and social goals", said the PM.

"And we explain to them that we are also a work in progress and are feeling our way forward."

He urged the US and China to strengthen their strategic trust in each other.

While their interests in some global and regional issues would diverge, he said he believed there was "enough common ground" for them to accommodate each other's interests.

"The US, as the incumbent superpower which will remain dominant for decades to come, naturally has interests to protect," he said.

But China "wants its rightful place in the sun and will be wary of any perceived attempt to conscribe its freedom of action", he added.

"You have to build mutual confidence, in order to manage this shift in the global balance wisely and prudently."

Closer to home, his hope is for continuity and stability in Indonesia and Malaysia. While Malaysians will head to the polls soon to elect new leaders, Indonesians will do so next year.

Meanwhile, he noted that Asia's rapid development will offer many opportunities to the bold and enterprising.

"Looking at the world from Asia, the future is bright."

KEEPING MARKETS OPEN

In Asia, trade is strategy. A more active trade agenda will benefit the US economically and strategically... The important thing is to have trade on the front burner, make it part of your toolbox, of skills, of tools, of instruments, which can bring about influence and prosperity in the world, and keep the US one of the leading economies in the world.
- PM Lee Hsien Loong, urging the US to adopt a more active trade agenda with Asean

PM Lee to Kerry: Let's take ties to new level
PM also hopes US Sec of State can help sustain American focus on Asia
By Robin Chan, The Straits Tmes, 5 Apr 2013

A DAY after President Barack Obama hailed the partnership between the United States and Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Secretary of State John Kerry that he looked forward to taking bilateral ties to a new level.

Both PM Lee and Mr Kerry paid tribute to the strong links before a closed-door meeting.

 
On Tuesday, Mr Obama had described Singapore-US ties as being an "extraordinary relationship".

PM Lee described Mr Kerry - a former presidential candidate and former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee - as an "old Asia hand" who knows China especially well, and said he hoped that the experience would help sustain America's current rebalancing strategy towards Asia.

He also talked about two initiatives launched last year to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

In February, the first Strategic Partnership Dialogue, which institutionalised a process for officials of the two countries to meet to discuss political and economic developments regularly, took place.

In July, they established a Third Country Training Programme, where both countries help to develop programmes to build up the public sector capacity of developing countries.

"With all these things going on, I look forward to our relationship being taken to a new level," said PM Lee.

With economic growth high on the Obama administration's agenda, Mr Kerry reiterated Mr Obama's desire to push through the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which aims to create a free trade zone with Asia-Pacific countries including Singapore and Japan.

But he added that "there are some important law enforcement and security issues we need to discuss".

The US is particularly concerned about tensions caused by territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas.

Mr Kerry also paid tribute to former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. Turning to PM Lee, he said: "I've had some great interventions with his (PM Lee's) father, who I have often characterised as perhaps the wisest counsel that I've received in that part of the world, now replaced by yours."

The two men met at the Blair House - the official guest residence of the President - where PM Lee is staying. Mr Lee was on the third day of his US visit.

Mr Lee also met Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew before he left Washington, DC by train to New York, and shared views on regional and international developments, including Singapore's participation in the St Petersburg G-20 summit in September.

Singapore was invited by host Russia as a non-member country, as it is presiding over the International Monetary Fund's International Monetary and Financial Committee, and president of the Global Governance Group.

PM Lee also had lunch with senior US administration officials from the National Security Council and the Departments of Commerce, Defence, State and Treasury. He wraps up his trip today with private meetings with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

US business community has 'very high confidence' in S'pore
By Robin Chan, The Straits Tmes, 6 Apr 2013

NEW YORK - The business community in the United States shows a "very high" confidence in Singapore, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who met a cross-section of top corporate leaders in America this week.

Although they are concerned about rising business costs as rents and wages go up, they are confident the Government can get things done, PM Lee added.

"They see Singapore as a place where the Government is rational, sober, competent to get things done and able to see the businesses' perspective.

"So if there are any issues, we can talk about it, and we can resolve it in an adult sort of way. So I think we are at a good level," he told Singapore reporters on Thursday, as he wrapped up his four-day visit to the US.

The foreign business community in Singapore, including the American one, has in recent months expressed concern about Singapore becoming less open to business.

It stems from policies to slow the inflow of foreign workers, as well as Singaporeans' resentment of foreigners whom they blame for crowded public transport and rising property prices.

Mr Lee was swift to reassure them, stressing to top corporate leaders at a Tuesday gala dinner in Washington that Singapore remains pro-business and continues to welcome foreign talent.

In various meetings with them, he also explained that the rising price of property is due to "abnormal monetary conditions" globally, with near-zero interest rates.

Money looking for places to invest comes to Singapore, he said, adding: "We are trying our best to stabilise the market."

As for wages, the Government wants to lift incomes in a sustainable, competitive way so that Singaporeans' living standards rise with growth.

"If you have economic growth without incomes going up, it defeats the purpose," he said.

But are the business leaders convinced?

"I think they understand... but it is not just what I say or what I do. They will be watching to see how the country changes and how the population and society evolve, because that is the basis on which they will make their decisions."

Mr Lee also stressed a valuable advantage that Singapore must not give up - its reputation built on the way it had delivered over the last 30 to 40 years.

During his visit, Mr Lee also met President Barack Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden, and a host of top US officials.

Relations between Singapore and the US were lauded, with Mr Obama calling it an "extraordinary relationship".

With cooperation in security, trade, education as well as research and development, the depth and breadth of engagement between them is matched by few other countries in the world, Mr Lee noted. But it has been a long, and at times, difficult journey in getting to the current "very good" state, he said.

"Everyone remembers, in the past, Singapore and the US often had friction and disagreements, whether it was different views on human rights or freedom of expression. I am not saying that we are now entirely in agreement, and there are, of course, outstanding issues. But fundamentally, our bilateral relationship, as what President Obama says, is extraordinary," he added.

"(It has) been good for some time. I have been here to nourish it, try and maintain it and, if possible, push it up a little bit."