SINGAPORE – Former transport minister Lui Tuck Yew has been appointed Singapore’s ambassador to the United States, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced on Tuesday.

Prior to this, he was the country’s ambassador to the People’s Republic of China from November 2019 to April 2023. He was also Singapore’s ambassador to Japan from 2017 to 2019.

He will take over the post in the US from Mr Ashok Kumar Mirpuri, who has been Singapore’s ambassador to the US since July 2012.

Mr Peter Tan Hai Chuan is Singapore’s new ambassador to China.

The Government also appointed two other new ambassadors – Mr Ong Eng Chuan to Japan and Ms Constance See Sin Yuan to the Philippines.

Mr Lui, 61, who retired from politics in 2015, was first elected MP in 2006. Before embarking on a political career, he was navy chief from 1999 to 2003 and chief executive of the Housing Board from 2005 to 2006.

He was minister for information, communications and the arts from 2009 to 2011, and transport minister from 2011 to 2015.

His other portfolios included second minister for foreign affairs and second minister for defence.

Mr Ong, 55, joined MFA in 1994 and took on the role of deputy secretary (management) of the ministry from May 2016.

Ms See, 48, was director-general of MFA’s South-east Asia II Directorate from March 2017 to March 2023.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, President Halimah Yacob said she presented letters of credence to Mr Lui, Mr Ong and Ms See.

“I look forward to their contributions in strengthening Singapore’s bilateral relations,” she said.