Happy to welcome German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz on his first visit to Singapore. Singapore and Germany have been close partners for a long time. We have built strong economic and defence ties, grounded in a shared commitment to an open, rules-based international order.
Since upgrading our ties to a Strategic Partnership in 2024, we have kept up good momentum. Today, Chancellor Merz and I agreed on a new Joint Work Plan to take our partnership forward, focusing in areas like the digital economy, AI, and research and innovation.
As Singapore prepares to chair ASEAN in 2027, we will build on this momentum to strengthen ASEAN-Germany and ASEAN-EU ties. In an uncertain world, working with trusted partners matters more than ever and I look forward to working closely with Chancellor Merz to further our ties.
: Lawrence Wong
Prime Minister of Singapore