Foreign Minister Murray McCully today welcomes his Singaporean counterpart Dr Vivian Balakrishnan to Wellington on his first visit to New Zealand as Foreign Minister.

'New Zealand and Singapore share a warm friendship that includes extensive trade and economic links, long-standing defence ties and regional cooperation,” Mr McCully says.

'Singapore is an important regional partner for New Zealand, being our sixth largest trading partner, and we often take similar views internationally and regionally on issues such as trade. It is also the base for many New Zealand businesses operating throughout South East Asia.

'Singapore is New Zealand's closest defence partner in the Asia-Pacific. We have had a Defence Cooperation Arrangement since 2009 and our armed forces exercise and train together regularly.”

SOURCE: Office of Murray McCully