The Singapore PM met with the U.S. President at the White House on Tuesday to discuss security and investment in the region.
Lee was in the United States for a week.
The White House Press Office has transcribed the remarks from Biden and Lee's press conference.
I am proud to welcome Prime Minister Lee to the White House.
We are working to uphold a rules-based order, support the founding principles of the United Nations, and advance a future for the Indo-Pacific that is both free and open.
As we look toward the future, Prime Minister Lee and I share a commitment to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as well as its importance in all of what we do.
Ensuring that all nations in the region, including China, uphold the principles that enable a free and open region was one of the concerns we discussed.
Singapore and the United States are united in sending the message to all nations — to all nations, regardless of their size or population: They are equal in the right — in their rights on the global stage.
The United States and Singapore are both committed to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea and their destabilizing missile launches are clearly in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
We both want North Korea to return to the negotiation table for serious and sustained diplomacy.
Following last year's military coup that caused a humanitarian crisis and reversed a decade of democratic and economic progress for the people of Burma, we are deeply concerned about the continuing suffering and violence there.
The United States and Singapore agree that the military regime must return to the path of democratic transition.
Last week in Europe, the world saw the strong unity for a unified response and resolve among the NATO Alliance, the G7, and the European Union to answer Putin's brutal and unjust assault on Ukraine.
With the Prime Minister's visit and Singapore's strong leadership on this issue, it's clear that Putin's war is unacceptable to nations in every region of the world.
Singapore and the United States are sending a message to all nations, regardless of their size or population, that they are equal in their rights on the global stage.
We have deep commercial and economic ties with each other, and we have also developed personal ties.
We are going to deepen our partnership and seize the opportunities to meet the challenges of the moment and to meet them together: fighting Covid-19, making sure we are prepared for the next Pandemic, and increasing our climate.
We have a large agenda, Mr. Prime Minister, and we are both pursuing a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Thank you again, Prime Minister Lee, I always appreciate consulting with you, and you and Singapore punch way above your weight.
The floor is yours.
Thank you, President Biden.
I would like to thank the President for the warm welcome that I and my delegation have received.
The current international uncertainties and crisis underscore the need for countries to work together with close friends and partners.
We had a good discussion with President Biden this morning and we affirmed our commitment to a stable, rules-based global order.
Singapore is the second-largest Asian investor in the U.S., and the U.S. is the largest investor in Singapore.
The U.S. has played a constructive role in the Asia-Pacific for more than 80 years, and Singapore has supported a strong U.S. presence in the region.
Strong people-to-people ties and substantial bilateral cooperation on economic, defense, and security issues are some of the things we have.
Singapore is the second-largest Asian investor in the U.S.
The only country with this status is Singapore.
The US military has been granted access to Singapore's air and naval bases through an agreement signed in 1990 and renewed in 2019.
We are broadening our cooperation into new areas, including cybersecurity, digital economy, sustainable development, and even space.
President Biden's leadership is appreciated by Singapore.
The President and I talked about the importance of the U.S. growing both its strategic and economic stakes in the Asia-Pacific.
We cannot condone any country arguing that another country’s independence is the result of historical errors and crazy decisions.
The proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework will strengthen America's engagement in the evolving regional economic architecture.
I talked to the President about Singapore's support of international law and the U.N. Charter, which prohibits acts of aggression against a state.
The sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected.
We don't agree with countries that argue that another country's independence is the result of historical mistakes.
I shared with President Biden the measures that Singapore has taken to restrain Russia's ability to conduct war against Ukraine.
We voted in accordance with the principles at the U.N. over the course of many decades.
There are potential flashpoints and contentious issues in the Asia-Pacific that could lead to open conflict if not managed well.
We can avoid reaching a point of no return if countries with interests in the region pursue peaceful means to resolve disagreements.
Keeping open channels of dialogue between countries is important to avoid conflict and prevent misreading each other's intentions.
Inclusive constructs are needed to bridge differences and encourage cooperation and interdependence in the Asia-Pacific.
The US has long-term interests in the Asia-Pacific and many friends in the region who want you to stay engaged.
Thank you so much.
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