Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Balakrishnan reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Singapore strategic partnership and its commitment to upholding international rules and standards in the Indo-Pacific and around the world.

The Secretary and Foreign Minister further discussed shared regional and global challenges and opportunities, including cooperation in critical and emerging technology, maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, and Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The Secretary and Foreign Minister also discussed the importance of reaching a ceasefire to the war in Gaza that secures the release of hostages. The officials reaffirmed the importance of bolstering the United States’ and Singapore’s strong economic, security, and people-to-people ties for the benefit of Americans, Singaporeans, and all others across the region.