US and Singapore cooperate to deal with North Korea, ensure freedom of navigation

Sputnik reported that in a joint statement with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on October 23, US President Donald Trump said the US is coordinating with Singapore to deal with the North Korean threat and ensure freedom of navigation in the region.

US President Donald Trump. (Source: AFP/VNA)

Speaking at a press conference with the Singaporean leader at the White House, President Trump emphasized: "In Southeast Asia, the United States and Singapore are currently cooperating to strengthen law enforcement capabilities, fight terrorism, and enhance cyber defense capabilities. Our two countries also share an unwavering commitment to countering the North Korean threat and promoting freedom of navigation in the South China Sea."

Mr. Trump also praised Singapore as the first Southeast Asian country to join the US-led coalition against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS).

For his part, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that he discussed with President Trump the situation on the Korean peninsula, expressing Singapore's strong opposition to North Korea's nuclear program and condemning Pyongyang's actions.

He also urged the US President to build a good relationship with China, noting that Singapore and other countries in the region "watch his relationship with China very closely" and consider it "the most important bilateral relationship in the world"./.

According to Vietnam+