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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US - SINGAPORE – INDO-PACIFIC
HEADLINE: Singapore Stands Firm With Kyiv, PM Says at White House Visit
TEASER: Prime minister of Asian trading giant Singapore affirms support for Kyiv alongside Biden
PUBLISHED AT: 03/29/2022 at 9:55p
BYLINE: Anita Powell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: the White House
VIDEOGRAPHER: AP
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Mia Bush, Holly Franko, DJ OK
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, AFP ZOOM (WITH LICENSE)
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:18
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO: ))
[[A free and prosperous Indo-Pacific is more important than ever, President Joe Biden said while meeting with his Singaporean counterpart against the backdrop of a raging conflict in Ukraine, which Biden has painted as a global struggle between liberal democracy and autocracy. Singapore’s leader said this is a battle for a rules-based global order. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House. ]]
((NARRATOR))
The tiny nation of Singapore is more than 8,000 kilometers ((5,000 miles)) from Kyiv, but the events there loom large for the Indo-Pacific, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
during his first White House visit with Biden on Tuesday.
Lee reiterated his nation’s strong support of Kyiv because, he said, what happens in Europe reverberates around the world.
((Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore))
“The war in the Ukraine has implications for the Asia Pacific. There are potential flashpoints and contentious issues in our region, too, which if not managed well, could escalate to open conflict. Countries with interests in the region need to pursue all efforts to settle disagreements through peaceful means, so that we can avoid reaching a point of no return.”
((NARRATOR))
Biden, who spent much of last week in Europe shoring up those alliances, underscored the importance of global unity against Russian aggression.
((U.S. President Joe Biden))
“Putin’s war is unacceptable to nations in every region in the world, not just Europe but in every region. It's an attack on the core international principles that underpin peace and security and prosperity everywhere, including in the Indo-Pacific. Today, Singapore and the United States are united and sending the message to all nations, regardless of their size or population, they are equal in their rights on the global stage. They have a right to sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to determine their own future free from violence and intimidation.”
((NARRATOR))
Lee is the first leader from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to visit the White House during the Biden administration. On Monday, he met with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Analyst Zack Cooper said Singapore, which has just 5 million people but is a major economic force in Southeast Asia, is sure to appreciate this high level of engagement from the world’s largest economy.
((Zack Cooper, American Enterprise Institute)) ((Zoom))
“I think for Singapore, this is an important show that it's going to stand up for the rules of the existing international order, and being able to come to the White House and be rewarded for that is an important signal that the United States appreciates what Singapore has done in the last few weeks.// And I think what we're going to hear over the next few months, is a real desire from Singapore for the United States to take more of a leadership role economically. And I'm sure they will have passed that along in this White House visit.”
((NARRATOR))
And, regional experts say, this small nation has a lot to offer the U.S.
((RADIO: Marc Mealy is senior vice president of policy at the US-ASEAN Business Council))
((Marc Mealy, US-ASEAN Business Council))
“Last year alone, Singapore was America's 18th-largest trade partner in the world, and is also a free trade partner. And I think probably a couple of points that will be really part of the dialogue here is that you know, we talked about in, you know, even before the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the importance the Biden administration was really placing on trying to strengthen the resilience of America's global supply chains. Singapore, in a
number of key areas like energy and technology, is one of the major trading and distribution pubs for the Indo-Pacific region.”
((NARRATOR))
And, Biden said, this warm friendship will soon expand as the U.S. hopes to host m
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)the White House
Embargo DateMarch 29, 2022 22:52 EDT
Byline((Anita Powell, VOA News, the White House))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
