WASHINGTON - Singapore and the United States will work together on cybersecurity to build a secure and resilient cyberspace.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the two countries on Tuesday (Aug 2), on the sidelines of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's official visit to the United States.

The agreement covers regular information exchanges and sharing of best practices and also commits the parties to "conduct joint cybersecurity exercises and collaborate on regional cyber capacity building and cybersecurity awareness building activities".

"Considering the interdependence in cyberspace between Singapore and the US, the borderless nature of transboundary cyber-attacks would have a significant impact on both countries' critical information infrastructures," said chief executive of the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) of Singapore David Koh, who signed the MOU together with Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security Suzanne Spaulding.

This is the CSA's fifth bilateral MOU, following agreements with France, the United Kingdom, India and the Netherlands.

Later this evening, PM Lee and Mrs Lee will be hosted by US President Barack Obama and Mrs Michelle Obama at the White House for a State Dinner. This would be the first time the Obama administration has given a South-east Asian leader this honour.