The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced today that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House in October. The two world leaders previously met at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Hamburg, Germany last month.
An MFA spokesman also said that PM Lee called the POTUS today to express concern and sympathies over the devastating Hurricane Harvey that has hit Texas and Louisiana. The PM offered Singapore’s assistance in the disaster relief operations by deploying our air force’s CH-47 Chinook helicopters from its Peace Prairie detachment in Grand Prairie, Texas.
MFA reported that President Trump, who took the call en route to Texas, accepted the offer with thanks and discussed North Korea’s “continued and deliberate provocations,” including the latest ballistic missile launch today, with the Singapore head of government.
“Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called United States President Donald Trump on 29 August 2017 to express his concern and sympathies over the loss of life and damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana. PM Lee also said that Singapore was ready to assist in the disaster relief operations by deploying the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) CH-47 Chinook helicopters from its Peace Prairie detachment in Grand Prairie, Texas. President Trump thanked PM Lee and accepted his offer of help.
“President Trump and PM Lee also discussed the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) continued and deliberate provocations, including the latest ballistic missile launch on 29 August 2017. PM Lee said Singapore was deeply concerned and had issued a statement condemning this reckless action.
“Both leaders also looked forward to their meeting in the White House in October 2017.”
PM Lee added on his Facebook page:
Spoke to President Donald J. Trump on the phone while he was on Air Force One en route to Texas. I expressed my concern…
Posted by Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday, 29 August 2017
The MFA also released a statement on North Korea’s ballistic missile launch which flew over Japan today. Calling the action a “reckless provocation,” Singapore said it was “deeply concerned” and called on the nation to “cease all provocations immediately.”
“Singapore condemns the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) ballistic missile test on 29 August 2017 which flew over Japan. This reckless provocation is in blatant defiance of the international community and severely jeopardises the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula. This test, along with the preceding tests since the start of 2017, is a serious breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions. We strongly urge the DPRK to cease all provocations immediately, and reiterate our long-standing call for the DPRK to abide by its international obligations and commitments.”