State dinner hosted by Obama tops agenda as PM visits US

SINGAPORE — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong begins his official visit to the United States on Sunday (July 31), the first by a Singapore Prime Minister in 31 years. 

This visit, initiated by US President Barack Obama to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, will include a state dinner on Aug 2 — a first for PM Lee in this black-tie affair attended by the who’s who in the US political and showbiz scenes.

The formal arrival ceremony at the White House earlier in the day will be followed by a meeting with Mr Obama at the Oval Office in Washington, DC. 

Mr Lee and his wife Ho Ching will also be attending a state luncheon at the Department of State hosted by US Vice-President Joseph Biden and wife Jill Biden, as well as US Secretary of State John Kerry. 

Mr Lee will also fit in time to meet Singaporeans for a National Day reception at the Singapore Embassy in Washington, DC. 

His schedule shows that there will be a stop for him to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, one of the sacred shrines in the US for more than 400,000 war veterans and their families. This will be followed by a visit to the Pentagon, where he will have lunch with US Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter. 

On the itinerary are separate meetings with US Secretary of the Treasury Jacob Lew, Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and Central Intelligence Agency’s director John Brennan. 

Mr Lee is also expected to speak at a reception jointly hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-Asean Business Council. 

Other members from the Singapore delegation going on the trip are Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and his wife, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung, Members of Parliament Christopher de Souza and Rahayu Mahzam, and Nominated Member of Parliament Chia Yong Yong.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will be the Acting Prime Minister during PM Lee’s absence, the Prime Minister’s Office said in statement while announcing details of the US trip.

The last time a Singapore leader was invited by a US president for a visit in 1985, then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was hosted by US President Ronald Reagan.

The late Mr Lee also attended four state dinners in 1967, 1973, 1975 and 1985, with the first three hosted by then-US presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.