PM to visit Singapore to launch Enhanced Partnership
Prime Minister to visit Singapore to launch Enhanced Partnership
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will travel to Singapore on Friday 17 May to launch the New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership and meet Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Halimah Yacob.
“We have a close and collaborative relationship based on shared history and interests. I am pleased to be visiting Singapore to launch the Enhanced Partnership alongside Prime Minister Lee and celebrate this significant achievement,” said Jacinda Ardern.
“Extending trade opportunities is a central plank of the Government’s agenda. This is one of our most long-standing economic relationships and this upgrade is very important.
The Enhanced Partnership focuses on increased cooperation across four areas: trade and economic; people-to-people, defence and security, and science, technology and innovation.
Singapore is New Zealand’s seventh largest trading partner, with two-way trade worth $5.2 billion last year. New Zealand has more free trade agreements with Singapore than any other partner
The two countries also enjoy warm people-to-people ties, including through arts and culture, education and tourism.
“This upgrade is more than just economic, it signals
strong ties across people-to-people and government as
well,” Jacinda Ardern said.
“As small advanced
economies, we have always shared common views on the
importance of stability and prosperity in the region. I look
forward to discussing this further with Prime Minister Lee
and President Yacob.”
The Prime Minister will be
accompanied by Minister Damien O’Connor.
This is Prime
Minister Ardern’s first bilateral visit to Singapore. She
last met Prime Minister Lee at the East Asia Summit that
Singapore hosted in November last
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