Australia–Singapore relations
Encyclopedia
Australia–Singapore relations are foreign relations between Singapore
and Australia
. Singapore has a high commission in Canberra
and Australia has a high commission in Singapore.
Trade and investment is sizable between the two countries. Singapore is Australia's fourth largest two-way trading partner, with total two-way trade valued at A$31 billion in 2008.
Australian service exports to Singapore for 2008 totalled A$3.9 billion, with service imports valued at A$4.7billion. Australian investment in Singapore is close to A$22 billion and Singapore’s investment in Australia is A$43 billion.
. At the time of purchasing Optus in 2001, the deal was the largest ever for a Singaporean company valued at approximately A$8.5 billion.
said "This agreement sets the framework for collaboration in education, networking and information exchange in sustainable and renewable energy, and energy efficiency issues"
since 1971. In August 2008, Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd
and Singaporean Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong
, met in Singapore to sign a memorandum of understanding to strengthen bilateral defence ties. A joint statement by the Prime Ministers said that the pact aims to enhance the defence relationship between the two countries through 'expanding cooperation and sharing resources to develop military expertise'.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith
describes the two countries as having "a strong bilateral defence relationship". Singapore has also provided support to Australian Defence Force
operations in Afghanistan
.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Singapore has a high commission in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
and Australia has a high commission in Singapore.
Trade and investment
The two countries have a free trade agreement which came into force in July 2003.Trade and investment is sizable between the two countries. Singapore is Australia's fourth largest two-way trading partner, with total two-way trade valued at A$31 billion in 2008.
Australian service exports to Singapore for 2008 totalled A$3.9 billion, with service imports valued at A$4.7billion. Australian investment in Singapore is close to A$22 billion and Singapore’s investment in Australia is A$43 billion.
Foreign investment
Singaporean company SingTel is the owner of major Australian telecommunications company OptusOptus
SingTel Optus Pty Limited is the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications...
. At the time of purchasing Optus in 2001, the deal was the largest ever for a Singaporean company valued at approximately A$8.5 billion.
Agreements
In July 2009, the peak clean energy industry bodies in Australia and Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding that will enhance commercial ties between the two countries. Australian Trade Minister Simon CreanSimon Crean
Simon Findlay Crean is an Australian politician, and the current Minister for the Arts and Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government in the Australian Federal Government. He was leader of the Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition at the Federal level,...
said "This agreement sets the framework for collaboration in education, networking and information exchange in sustainable and renewable energy, and energy efficiency issues"
Military cooperation
Singapore and Australia have been partners in the Five Power Defence ArrangementsFive Power Defence Arrangements
The Five Power Defence Arrangements are a series of defence relationships established by a series of bilateral agreements between the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore signed in 1971, whereby the five states will consult each other in the event of external aggression...
since 1971. In August 2008, Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
and Singaporean Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. He is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. He is the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew....
, met in Singapore to sign a memorandum of understanding to strengthen bilateral defence ties. A joint statement by the Prime Ministers said that the pact aims to enhance the defence relationship between the two countries through 'expanding cooperation and sharing resources to develop military expertise'.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith (Australian politician)
Stephen Francis Smith , is the Australian Minister for Defence. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Perth, Western Australia....
describes the two countries as having "a strong bilateral defence relationship". Singapore has also provided support to Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
operations in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
See also
- Singaporean AustralianSingaporean AustralianSingaporean Australian is an Australian person who is from or has ancestral ties to Singapore. According to the 2006 Australian census, 39,969 Australians were born in Singapore while 4,626 claimed Singaporean ancestry, either alone or with another ancestry....
- Foreign relations of SingaporeForeign relations of SingaporeSingapore maintains diplomatic relations with 175 countries although it does not maintain a high commission or embassy in many of those countries. It is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth, ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement....
- Foreign relations of AustraliaForeign relations of AustraliaThe foreign relations of Australia have spanned from the country's time as Dominion and later Realm of the Commonwealth to become steadfastly allied with New Zealand through long-standing ANZAC ties dating back to the early 1900s, and the United States throughout the Cold War, to its engagement...