[Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s Bipartisan Leadership Meeting with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi at the US Capitol on Mar 30, 2022. (Photo by=CNA/Jeremy Long)]

WASHINGTON: It is “critical” for the United States to stay involved and engaged in the Asia-Pacific, while developing and growing its economic ties with the region, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday (Mar 30) as he attended a bipartisan leadership meeting at the Capitol in Washington, CNA reported.
 
Delivering brief remarks at the start of the meeting, Mr. Lee, accompanied by US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, pointed to America’s Indo-Pacific Economic Strategy and in particular, the forthcoming Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. He also said that the security of the Asia Pacific is "vital to the stability and prosperity" of the region, and the US is "a big part of this story". Mr. Lee noted that Singapore and the US share a “strong and enduring partnership”, as well as a “mutually beneficial” one, which stretches across many areas such as economy and security.
 
Ms. Pelosi, who is scheduled to visit Singapore soon, said the US-Singapore bond is “a very important one”. A dozen US lawmakers from both parties, such as House majority leader Steny Hoyer, House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, attended the meeting on Wednesday. At the meeting, Mr. Lee and the US lawmakers also exchanged views on international and regional developments, including the war in Ukraine.