'Singapore to maintain good ties with US, China, India, Japan'

Singapore's foreign policy aims to maintain good relations with major powers like the United States, China, India and Japan, a senior diplomat has said.
Singapore also seeks to have good relations with middle powers like South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Turkey, said a report in the Strait Times by Singapore's Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's 10 years in office.
On India, the report highlighted the trade-boosting Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) of 2005.
"Close to a million Indian tourists visited Singapore last year. Apart from economics, the two countries also cooperate in culture, education, law and defence," wrote Koh.

Elaborating in the report, Koh highlighted Singapore's relations with the US, especially the 10-year old Free Trade Agreement.
The report also talked about Singapore and China ties, stating that they have Free Trade Agreement since 2008, and the city-state has established bilateral councils with seven Chinese provinces.

The Japan-Singapore Economic Agreement signed in 2002 was a milestone in economic relations, the report said.
Meanwhile, the 7th Singapore-India Strategic Dialogue was held here on Mondaye with both countries exchanging views on a wide range of issues.
Singapore also hosted a public forum on India yesterday with Koh expressing positive sentiments in Singapore about India's new government.