CANBERRA — The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between Singapore and Australia is the result of more than two years of hard work behind the scenes, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, adding that the landmark deal will make it easier for Singaporeans who wish to travel, work and do business in Australia.

Speaking to the Singapore media as he wrapped up a three-day official visit to the Australian capital, Mr Lee said: “We now have a capital express — direct flight between Singapore and Canberra, Canberra onto Wellington — so people travelling between the two countries, students studying here, parents visiting or just tourists wanting to come to Canberra to ski or to other parts of Australia nearby, Sydney or somewhere else, can now have more options.”

He said for Singaporean professionals and entrepreneurs who want to venture to Australia, things would be easier, with a stronger mutual recognition framework under the CSP, which both sides signed in June last year to deepen economic integration, expand defence cooperation, promote innovation and entrepreneurship, and strengthen people-to-people ties over the next decade.

“I am here in Canberra for only two days but, actually, officials from both countries have been preparing for near to two years for this trip, because the negotiations for CSP started two years back with then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott,” said Mr Lee.

Mr Lee added that when Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull took office in September last year, he was also fully supportive of the strategic partnership.

“In order to have these breakthroughs (under the CSP), we need to do a lot of work,” he said. “Both sides have to adjust our policies, our mindset, our interactions and understanding, in order to achieve this.”

Earlier yesterday, Mr Lee and Mr Turnbull witnessed the signing of several key agreements under the ambit of the CSP covering trade, defence, innovation, as well as combatting transnational drug crime.

Commenting on the agreement signed yesterday between both sides to allow the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) enhanced training access to Queensland, Mr Lee said many National Servicemen and regulars will benefit.

Recounting a conversation with some Singaporean students at the High Commission in Canberra on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said some of them were wondering when the infantry would get a chance to train in Australia.

“Because Exercise Wallaby has always been armoured infantry, armour, artillery — but what about us (our) infantry (asked the students)? So I said, don’t worry, we’re going to have this new Memorandum of Understanding, we’ll have enhanced facilities, much better training, and there’ll be infantry exercises as well,” said Mr Lee. “I’m not sure if tough training is something that National Servicemen will say: ‘Yay! It’s very good!’. But I think good training is good, and I’m sure many soldiers and NSmen will look forward to that.”

Under a new defence Memorandum of Understanding, the SAF will be able to conduct unilateral training in Australia for 18 weeks, with 14,000 troops a year over 25 years, in training areas 10 times the size of Singapore.

Singapore and Australia will also jointly develop military training areas and advanced facilities in northern Australia.

Today, Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen will meet his Australian counterpart Marise Payne for discussions on strengthening military cooperation.

Dr Ng will also visit Townsville in Queensland — the proposed expanded area allocated to the SAF for training and joint development.