British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has signed, Saturday, a new strategic partnership with Singapore to grow the UK's economy and enhance shared security with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in India. A press release by the Prime Minister Office statement said that the agreement would harness the UK and Singapore's expertise in new technologies like cyber and Al to create jobs in both our countries. In addition to enhanced economic cooperation, the new UK-Singapore Strategic Partnership will strengthen security cooperation, science and technology innovation, and research and development. This includes collaboration to counter new and emerging threats in domains like cyber, through a first of its kind partnership between Singapore's new Digital and Intelligence Service and the UK. Singapore is one of the UK's closest and most dynamic partners in the region, with our £21 billion ($26.3 billion) trade relationship accounting for 40 percent of our total trade with Southeast Asia. Singaporean entities have £226 billion (4281.7 billion) invested in the UK. Last year the UK and Singapore signed a first-of-its-kind Digital Economy Agreement, to help businesses in both our countries seize new trade opportunities. Partnership follows agreements with countries including France, Japan and the US, as PM Suna uses global relationships to deliver on the UK's priorities. Singapore and the United Kingdom pledged to deepen cooperation in five areas such as economy and defense. Both leaders were meeting for the first time since Sunak took office in October last year. In a joint declaration, the leaders described the sharing of "a longstanding and historical partnership", as well as relations that are "dynamic and comprehensive at all levels". The two leaders also said they are committed to building on the "positive trajectory and momentum" of earlier agreements. "We elevate our relationship and declare it a Strategic Partnership, strengthening existing and launching new areas of bilateral cooperation," according to the joint declaration. Both countries will also see enhanced cooperation in the areas of defense, security, intelligence and foreign policy to "contribute towards maintaining a free, open, inclusive, stable and peaceful international rules-based order". In addition, both countries will launch a refreshed science, innovation and technology partnership as part of developing solutions to tackle global challenges and drive economic growth. Under this strategic partnership, both sides will also work together to promote and develop a green economy that achieves the goals of the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Climate Pact, as well as hold annual public service roundtables as part of boosting public sector cooperation. The latest move "heralds a new era in Singapore-United Kingdom relations, catalyzing opportunities for our people to cooperate and strengthen linkages, for the common peace, stability and prosperity of our countries", the joint declaration said. — Agencies
