Australia And Singapore Confirm A New Strategic Partnership

On the recent visit of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to Singapore, it was decided that ties between the two countries would be strengthened. Mr Abbott expressed his interest to increase “familiarity” with Singapore similar to that of New Zealand. He insisisted on deepening intimacy with Singapore.

On Monday, Mr Abbott met the prime minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong and put forward the discussions of building a new strategic partnership with regard to its foreign affairs, economy, trade, security and defence. Later on Monday this partnership was signed at a news conference in the presence of 400 business leaders bringing both countries closer, ABC reported.

Skynews reported that Mr Abbott is looking forward to a more friendly relation so as to deal with people-to-people ties transcending defence and economic discussions. He said, "my hope is that underneath the phrase will be a new intimacy between Australia and Singapore.” "I don't simply want Australia and Singapore to be friends, I want us to be family in the years and decades to come," he added.

Honouring the 50-year long bilateral ties, both the counterparts have decided to name a bright yellow orchid present in the Singapore botanical gardens as “Dendrobium Golden Friendship.” Under the strategic partnership, both countries have proposed to share intelligence and security information in order to combat terrorism and review the free trade agreement pact in another year. Declaration of bringing about amendments in the Foreign Investment Review Board has also been made to make it suitable for Singaporean investment. Extensive discussions were carried out to enhance issues transpiring both at national and global level.

According to the SBS, the declaration on one hand praised the United States in its engagement and contribution to maintain peace and prosperity in the region and on the other regarded China, Republic of Korea, India and Japan for attributing to regional prosperity and integration.

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