On August 30, Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper met virtually with his Singapore counterpart, Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen to discuss the U.S.-Singapore bilateral defense relationship. Secretary Esper expressed solidarity with Singapore's efforts to address the COVID-19 outbreak and applauded Singapore's success in its pandemic response. Secretary Esper expressed appreciation for the regional access that Singapore provides U.S. forces, and its commitment to continued access made possible by renewal of the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding Regarding United States Use of Facilities in Singapore. Both leaders stated that they look forward to further collaboration on U.S. future force posture. Finally, the Secretary and Minister discussed regional security issues, including the South China Sea, counterterrorism, and the importance of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.