U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner met with defense officials of Five Eyes (FVEY) on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue on June 4, 2023, in Singapore.
Ely Ratner met with Australian Deputy Secretary of Defence Strategy, Policy, and Industry Group Hugh Jeffrey; Canadian Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy) Peter Hammerschmidt, United Kingdom Director General for Security Policy Paul Wyatt; and New Zealand Ministry of Defence Deputy Secretary Policy & Planning Richard Schmidt.
The officials discussed their “shared values and unwavering commitment to uphold the rules-based international order” in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to the Department of Defense statement, the officials “exchanged views on regional security and reaffirmed the importance of continuing to work together to enhance their collective resilience and that of the region.”
The statement further highlighted that the “Officials welcomed the opportunity to discuss developments in the strategic environment and committed to a future meeting at a mutually agreeable date”.
Separately on June 3, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong at the Singapore Treasury on the margins of the IISS 20th Asia Security Summit.
During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their long-standing bilateral defense partnership based on the shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Secretary Austin welcomed Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Wong’s crucial role in supporting the U.S. security presence in the region.
According to the official release, the leaders of both countries also underscored the critical role that U.S.-Singapore defense cooperation plays in sustaining regional security and stability. “The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to standing as partners in bringing greater security, prosperity, and stability to the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” the statement added.
