Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met leaders of the Pacific Islands at a reception in New York last Saturday to commemorate the Palau archipelago's 25th Independence Day, which falls on Oct 1.

PM Lee, who was with the other leaders in the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), said on Facebook: "All of us face one common challenge - we represent small island nations that face the threat of rising sea levels due to climate change."

The Prime Minister, who is on a week-long working visit to the US, will deliver Singapore's national statement at the General Debate of the 74th session of the UNGA.

PM Lee will also meet US President Donald Trump and business leaders, among other engagements.

Other Singapore leaders, including Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, will also be in New York.

Mr Gan will attend the United Nations High-Level Meeting on universal health coverage, while Mr Tharman will co-chair the inaugural meeting of the Global Education Forum, which aims to spur global cooperation and reforms to bridge major gaps in education in the developing world.