Singapore

Our relationship with Singapore

The bilateral relationship with Singapore is close and long-standing, supported by well-established defence ties and a broad range of cooperation across a variety of government agencies. Singapore is our most likeminded partner in South East Asia and an important strategic partner for New Zealand. It is an important trade partner, a critical supply chains hub, and a significant source of investment. We are likeminded in multilateral and regional fora, with a shared commitment to the international rules-based order.

New Zealand’s bilateral relationship with Singapore is underscored by the New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership, launched in May 2019. The arrangement deepens our bilateral cooperation across six main pillars: trade and economic; defence and security; people-to-people; science, technology and innovation; climate change and green economy; and (since 2024) supply chains and connectivity.

Trade and investment

New Zealand and Singapore enjoy a complementary and dispute-free trade relationship. Singapore is a significant global trading partner for two-way trade. 
New Zealand also shares more trade agreements with Singapore than any other partner:

• New Zealand-Singapore Closer Economic Partnership (CEP)
• ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade agreement (AANZFTA),
• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), 
• Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), 
• Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership (P4), and 
• Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA).

New Zealand and Singapore are among the 14 partners in the Indo-Pacific negotiating the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).

We work closely with Singapore in APEC, the WTO and the Small Advanced Economies Initiative. Singapore also has considerable economic importance for New Zealand as a source of investment and a commercial and transport hub for South East Asia.

The latest information about New Zealand’s trade profile with Singapore is available on the New Zealand Trade Dashboard(external link).

Defence and security

Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia. There is significant bilateral engagement across all levels of New Zealand’s defence sector, coordinated by the Singapore-based Defence Adviser, including annual talks at the Ministerial, Permanent Secretary, Chief of Defence Forces, and Single Service (Navy, Army and Air Force) levels, as well as the annual Shangri-La Dialogue (at which Singapore hosts Defence Ministers from around the world).

The defence and security pillar of the New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership supports greater cooperation in areas such as cyber threats, the technical aspects of safety and security, and in Homeland Security Technology.

We are also both parties to the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) between Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom. 

People and culture

New Zealand and Singapore enjoy strong cultural and people links, which have been further advanced under the Enhanced Partnership. A suite of arts and culture initiatives, a Science, Technology and Innovation Arrangement, and increased cooperation across a number of sectors and industries, continues to deepen our connection.

Under the People-to-People Pillar of the Enhanced Partnership, New Zealander and Singaporean visitors enjoy greater access to each other’s countries, including improved vias conditions, access to New Zealand’s e-Gate and to Singapore’s equivalent, and a refreshed reciprocal Working Holiday Scheme. New Zealand visitors to Singapore are able to stay for 90 days and intra-corporate transferees are eligible for a stay of eight years, up from five.

Information on New Zealand’s Singapore Work Exchange Programme Visa(external link) is available on the Immigration New Zealand website.

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