Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Goh Chok Tong meet former U.S. President Bill Clinton

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong met with former U.S. President Bill Clinton, this week. The meeting, which took place on Wednesday (May 21) as part of Mr Clinton’s visit to the region, focused on exchanging insights on global and regional developments.

In a LinkedIn post following the meeting, Prime Minister Wong expressed appreciation for President Clinton’s longstanding support of U.S.-Singapore relations during his presidency.

He noted that Mr Clinton had worked closely with then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong to lay the groundwork for the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA).

The USSFTA was historic as it was the first bilateral free trade agreement between the United States and an Asian country. The FTA eliminated tariffs on goods, enhanced intellectual property protections, and expanded access to services, financial markets, and government procurement opportunities.

The agreement was signed in 2003 and went into force in 2004. It remains a central component of U.S.-Singapore economic ties.

Prime Minister Wong said on social media, “Singapore and the US continue to share many areas of strategic cooperation. We look forward to deepening this partnership in the years ahead.”