Singapore–United States relations

E. Mason "Hank" Hendrickson was serving as the First Secretary of the United States Embassy when he was expelled by the Singaporean government in May 1988.[5][6][7] Prior to his expulsion, he arranged for Francis Seow and Patrick Seong to travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with American officials at Hendrickson's arrangement.[8] After their return, Singapore detained them under the Internal Security Act.[9] Based on Seow and Seong's statements while in custody, the Singaporean government alleged that Hendrickson attempted to interfere in Singapore's internal affairs by cultivating opposition figures in a "Marxist conspiracy".[8] Then-First Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong claimed that Hendrickson's alleged conspiracy could have resulted in the election of 20 or 30 opposition politicians to Parliament, which in his words could lead to "horrendous" effects, possibly even the paralysis and fall of the Singaporean government.[9]

In the aftermath of Hendrickson's expulsion, the U.S. State Department praised his performance in Singapore and denied any impropriety in his actions.[5] The State Department also expelled Robert Chua, a senior-level Singaporean diplomat equal in rank to Mason, from Washington, D.C. in response.[10][11] The State Department's refusal to reprimand Hendrickson, along with their expulsion of the Singaporean diplomat, sparked a protest in Singapore by the National Trades Union Congress; they drove buses around the U.S. embassy, held a rally attended by four thousand workers, and issued a statement deriding the U.S. as "sneaky, arrogant, and untrustworthy".[12]

A Heritage Foundation paper speculated that Singapore's angry public reaction to the Hendrickson affair may have been a response to the January 1988 termination of Singapore's eligibility for the Generalized System of Preferences, which provided tariff exemptions on Singaporean exports to the United States. This was reversed a few years later as relations improved again.[10]

Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and U.S. President George W. Bush signing the free trade agreement in 2003

Relations in the early 2000s were significantly improved which culminated when Singapore and the United States signed a bilateral free trade agreement on 6 May 2003; the agreement entered into force on 1 January 2004. The growth of U.S. investment in Singapore and the large number of Americans living there enhance opportunities for contact between Singapore and the United States. Singapore is a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) country, one of the only four countries in Asia in the program. Today, large numbers of American and Singaporean expatriates live and work in each other's countries due to the relatively easy freedom of movement established between the two countries.[4]

In addition to lowering of tariffs, the agreement also allowed easier movement of citizens from both countries. With its implementation, it became possible for Singaporean citizens to reside in the United States for extended periods of time. Business people and traders with an E-1 or E-2 visa are allowed a two-year stay period with an indefinite extension allowed.

Furthermore, Professionals with a H-1B1 visa (also known as H-1B1-Singapore) are allowed to stay for a maximum period of up to 18 months with also the possibility of an indefinite extension. This visa was specifically created for Singaporeans, and there is an annual priority quota of 5,400 visas, but this quota has yet to be reached to date. Any unused quota is transferred to the general pool for use by citizens of other countries.[13]

United States citizens coming to Singapore are also allowed to work in most business occupations for 3 months without a visa or a "Professional Visit Pass".[14]

DPRK–USA Summit logo used by Singapore

The latest high profile meeting between the two countries was held on 11 June 2018 between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Donald Trump at the The Istana, the official residence and office of the President of Singapore and also the working office of the Prime Minister of Singapore, before meeting Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un the next day at the Capella Hotel, Sentosa, Singapore.[15] At the time, Singapore was chosen for its neutrality in geopolitical affairs, as it had diplomatic relations with both the United States and North Korea, and was one of the few countries that have relationships with both countries.[16]

The summit meeting between North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump was the first-ever meeting between leaders of North Korea and the United States.[17]

Goh Chok Tong and George W. Bush signing the free trade agreement in 2003

The United States and Singapore signed a bilateral free trade agreement on 6 May 2003; the agreement entered into force on 1 January 2004. The growth of U.S. investment in Singapore and the large number of Americans living there enhance opportunities for contact between Singapore and the United States. Singapore is a Visa Waiver Program country.[4]

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong with Defense Secretary Ash Carter, 2016

Ships from the Singapore and United States navies travel in formation in 2019

Singapore has long standing military relations with the United States. The United States sells arms to Singapore and provides access to its bases to train the Singaporean armed services outside of their small city-state.[19] Under the U.S.–Singapore Strategic Framework Agreement, some U.S. Navy littoral combat ships are rotationally deployed to Singapore's Changi Naval Base.[20] Air Force One also lands at Paya Lebar Air Base whenever the president visits the country. On September 23, 2019, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and US President Donald Trump renewed a key defence pact which allows American forces to use Singapore's air and naval bases, extending it by another 15 years to 2035.[21]

Following that devastation of the United States Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina, three Singaporean CH-47 Chinook helicopters and thirty-eight RSAF personnel from a training detachment based in Grand Prairie, Texas, assisted in relief operations from 1 September. They ferried about 700 evacuees and hauled tons of supplies in 39 sorties on 4 September. One more CH-47 Chinook helicopter was sent to aid in relief efforts.[22][23]

In 2011, more than 4,300 Singaporeans were studying in the United States, the highest figure in 10 years. The number of Singaporean students studying in the United States grew by 7 percent since 2010. American universities with the most number of Singaporeans are among the most prestigious in the country which includes Harvard University, Cornell University, Stanford University, and University of California, Berkeley. To add to the rising number of college students study in the United States, many local students in Singapore have also opted to study in American High Schools. US Ambassador to Singapore David I. Adelman said that the high number of Singaporeans studying in the United States reflects that Singapore–United States relations "have never been better".[24]

In 2012, Singapore and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance collaboration in education between the two countries. This is the second MOU between the United States and Singapore on education. The first MOU signed in 2002 primarily focused on the teaching and learning of the Singaporean method of Mathematics and Science. The 2012 MOU have enhanced the teaching of Mathematics and Science, teacher development and school leadership, and educational research and benchmarking studies. In addition, the conference also announced that the National Institute of Education (NIE) in Singapore and Columbia University's Teachers College are launching a joint Masters of Arts in Leadership and Educational Change. This joint Masters programme will take in up to 30 students from January 2013.[25]

The U.S. government sponsors visitors from Singapore each year under the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). The U.S. Government provides Fulbright Awards to enable selected American professors to teach or conduct research at the National University of Singapore and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. It awards scholarships to outstanding Singaporean students for graduate studies at American universities and to American students to study in Singapore. The U.S. government also sponsors occasional cultural presentations in Singapore. The East-West Center and private American organizations, such as the Asia Foundation and Ford Foundation, also sponsor exchanges involving Singaporeans.[4]