The United States (US) Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite called on Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Ministry of Defence earlier today. During their meeting, Dr Ng and Secretary Braithwaite reaffirmed the excellent and long-standing bilateral defence relationship between Singapore and the US. They also discussed regional security issues and ways to strengthen navy-to-navy cooperation under the ambit of the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding Regarding United States Use of Facilities in Singapore.

As part of his introductory visit from 16 to 17 October 2020, Secretary Braithwaite also met Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Melvyn Ong, and will be visiting Changi Naval Base in the afternoon.

Secretary Braithwaite's visit highlights the strong partnership between the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the US Navy (USN). Both navies interact regularly through bilateral and multilateral exercises, cross-attendance of courses, and other professional exchanges. Most recently in August, the RSN participated in the multilateral Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2020, which was hosted by the USN and held in the waters off Hawaii. These interactions strengthen the interoperability and cooperation, as well as bolster mutual understanding between the two navies.

Relevant health checks and safety measures were taken by the visiting delegation.