WASHINGTON (AP) – The prime minister of Singapore is joining President Barack Obama at the White House to celebrate the 50th anniversary of U.S. diplomatic relations with the Southeast Asian city state.
But the two leaders on Tuesday will also discuss a shared cause with less rosy prospects – the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal.
Singapore, a close U.S. partner, is one of the 12 nations in the TPP, an agreement key to Obama’s effort to boost U.S. exports and build strategic ties in Asia.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (LEE shee-EHN LOONG) Washington visit comes as opposition to the TPP intensifies in the United States. Both Republican contender Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton are against it.
On Monday, Lee urged its ratification, saying it was a “litmus test” of U.S. credibility.