Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's Written Replies to Parliamentary Questions, 15 October 2025

QUESTION

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the past year (a) how many dialogue sessions and workshops have been conducted for students, youths and businesses to help them understand Singapore’s foreign policy; (b) what was the total attendance for each group; (c) how is the effectiveness of these efforts measured beyond attendance numbers; and (d) what other modes of engagement has the Ministry employed or have plans to employ.

REPLY

1        The Government has stepped up public engagement to explain our foreign policy fundamentals and approaches and to hear Singaporeans’ views. Since January 2024, we have conducted about 150 dialogue sessions and workshops with students, youths and businesses. Attendance for each session ranges from approximately 20 to 1,000 participants depending on the engagement format.

2        We collect feedback from participants at these engagements to better understand the clarity of the messages and effectiveness of the format. We aim to continuously improve on the content and delivery of the dialogues and engagements. MFA has been providing more content digitally on social media accounts to reach a wider audience. We are also exploring more interactive small group workshops to allow for deeper discussions with the participants.

QUESTION

Mr Fadli Fawzi: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether the Government has been engaging the United States government on (a) maintaining its obligations under the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement in relation to immigration, such as the H-1B1 visa, and (b) protecting the rights and privileges of Singaporean holders of US visas.

REPLY

1          The H-1B1 visa programme applies to foreign skilled labour from Singapore under the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. There are no changes to H-1B1 processes at this time. The US Embassy in Singapore has stated that the US’ Presidential Proclamation on 19 September 2025 which imposes a new Restriction on Entry and fee under the H-1B visa programme is separate from and does not apply to the H-1B1 visa programme for Singapore citizens. MFA will continue to monitor this issue and engage our US counterparts as required, as we regularly do on a broad range of issues.

2          To date, MFA is not aware of bona fide Singaporean holders of valid US visas whose rights and privileges have been affected by recent immigration enforcement actions in the US. Nonetheless, Singaporeans should take note that possession of a valid US visa does not guarantee automatic entry into the country nor one’s stay for the entire validity period of the visa. Singaporeans should also be aware that each country determines its own immigration policies, including policies applicable to existing visa holders.

QUESTION

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) which countries in Africa and Latin America will the Ministry be setting up new diplomatic missions in the coming years; (b) what are the key considerations for establishing a resident mission as opposed to utilising a non-resident ambassador to conduct diplomacy; and (c) whether there are concurrent plans to accredit non-resident ambassadors to more countries.

REPLY

1 We continually evaluate the network of Overseas Missions that Singapore maintains, based on factors such as where they can most effectively advance Singapore’s interests in these regions. We currently have 53 Overseas Missions around the world.

2        In view of our resource and manpower constraints, we supplement our overseas presence with the appointment of Non-Resident Ambassadors (NRAs) who travel regularly to engage foreign governments. NRAs, drawn from diverse backgrounds such as the private sector and academia, have been instrumental in representing Singapore and advancing our interests.  

3 We will consider the establishment of more Overseas Missions according to national needs and the resources available.

QUESTION

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs in light of the recent natural disasters in the Philippines, whether Singapore is exploring together with ASEAN, longer-term forms of support for disaster-prone countries in the region, including technical assistance, capacity-building, and training in disaster management and climate resilience.

REPLY

1        Beyond the immediate humanitarian assistance that we provide bilaterally to fellow ASEAN countries, there are ASEAN mechanisms that enhance the region’s emergency preparedness and resilience against natural disasters which Singapore participates actively in. This includes the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), which is a regional framework for cooperation, coordination, technical assistance, and resource mobilisation in disaster management.

2        Singapore contributes actively to the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management, which provides leadership in the implementation of the AADMER, including capacity building and sharing of best practices.

3        Singapore hosts the annual ASEAN Strategic Policy Dialogue on Disaster Management, which brings together senior officials and leading technical experts to address challenges in ASEAN's disaster management landscape. In addition, Singapore is the co-chair of the ICT Advisory Group of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management.

4        Under the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP), Singapore conducts capacity building programmes on disaster risk reduction and climate resilience, working closely with international partners such as the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

QUESTION

Mr Lee Hong Chuang: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) how does the Ministry evaluate the effects of US peace initiatives and Israeli military actions on Singapore’s interest and regional stability; (b) how does Singapore navigate between its humanitarian obligations and its relationship with Israel; and (c) whether the Ministry will provide more frequent updates on Singapore’s diplomatic efforts as situations involving major international partners continue to evolve.

REPLY

1 The US is the superpower with indispensable leverage in the Middle East. We commend the efforts of the US and its partners Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye, which have played a crucial role in securing a ceasefire in Gaza and release of hostages.

2 Singapore and Singaporeans have contributed S$24 million worth of humanitarian assistance to alleviating the suffering of civilians in Gaza. These efforts have been facilitated by our excellent relations with partners in the region including Israel, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

3 We will continue to keep Singaporeans updated on the complex situation in the Middle East. 

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

15 OCTOBER 2025