Singaporean-US ties will strengthen

Significance

The two leaders reaffirmed the strength of bilateral relations. Singapore, identified as a key US partner in the Indo-Pacific Strategy document released by the White House in February, tries to maintain good ties with both Washington and US rival Beijing.

Impacts

• The Ukraine war is unlikely to have a direct impact on tensions involving China and several South-east Asian states in the South China Sea.
• Higher energy and commodity prices should not be too much of a drag on Singapore’s economy, for which the outlook is positive.
• Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party will likely identify a successor to Lee later this year.