Foreign Secretary Rt Hon James Cleverly MP visits Singapore

Last week, the UK's Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, made his first official visit to Singapore just a few weeks after his appointment, indicating the ongoing importance of the Indo-Pacific tilt to UK foreign policy.

The Executive Director of the Chamber David Kelly, and Deputy Executive Director Lucy Haydon, were present to witness the Foreign Secretary's keynote speech at the Milken Institute Asia Summit, a signficant event in the Singapore calendar each year. 
 

In his speech, available to read in full here, Mr. Cleverly highlighted that at least 1.7 million British citizens live across the Indo-Pacific region. UK trading relationships are worth over 250 billion dollars and growing, and in the decades to come it will be the crucible of solutions to many of the pressing global challenges that we face – from climate and biodiversity to maritime security and geopolitical competition.

Mr. Cleverly was also in town for the launch of the new British International Investment (BII) Office, which will be at the core of the UK’s development finance institution’s Indo-Pacific expansion, recognising Singapore’s role as a global financial centre. BII’s plans to invest in green infrastructure will support climate resilience and a green economic transition in the region and bring the UK closer to Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia and Laos.

During his visit the Foreign Secretary met with Singapore's Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister for Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Watch Mr. Cleverly summarising his visit in the video below.