PM Lee to address Australian Parliament

PM Lee to address Australian Parliament

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will visit Australia from today until Thursday for the inaugural annual summit with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between the two countries.

Mr Lee will have an official welcome ceremony at Parliament House, and separate meetings with Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, Mr Turnbull, opposition leader Bill Shorten and Australian Capital Territory chief minister Andrew Barr, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement yesterday.

PM Lee will also address the Australian Parliament - the first time a Singapore PM has done so - and Mr Turnbull will host him to an official luncheon.

Both PMs will witness the signing of four agreements arising from the CSP package reached in May this year.

The pacts update arrangements for military training, a bilateral free trade agreement, collaboration in innovation and science and working to combat transnational drug crime.

Mr Lee will also lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial and meet Singaporeans at a reception at the Singapore High Commission in Canberra.

He will be accompanied by Mrs Lee, Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) Lim Hng Kiang, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and MPs Lily Neo and Zaqy Mohamad.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will be Acting PM during Mr Lee's absence.

rachelay@sph.com.sg


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