US tariffs, export controls not directed at Singapore, says Rubio in meeting with Vivian

SINGAPORE – Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has raised the impact of America’s tariffs and export controls with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said these were not directed at Singapore.

“Nevertheless, there is a lot of work in the next few months to ensure that there are no adverse secondary impacts on Singapore, so we will have to continue to engage the administration very, very closely in the months ahead,” said Dr Balakrishnan in a statement after they met on June 4.

Dr Balakrishnan is in Washington on a working visit. He and Mr Rubio had a “substantive and wide-ranging discussion” on bilateral ties and international developments, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

It added that Dr Balakrishnan registered

the impact of the US’ tariff policy on Singapore

as a small and open economy that is highly dependent on trade, and the Republic’s commitment to constructive engagement with the US to find mutually beneficial arrangements, including on pharmaceutical exports.

In May, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said

preferential or even zero tariffs on Singapore’s pharmaceutical exports

to the US are possible concessions that emerged in ongoing talks between the countries.

However, the secondary impact has already hit the Republic, with

Singapore’s factory activity contracting

for a second month in May off the back of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs continuing to threaten the global economy.

The majority of Mr Trump’s sweeping global tariffs

have been paused for 90 days

, with the pause expected to expire at the start of July. On June 4, Mr Trump signed an order to double tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.

During their meeting, Dr Balakrishnan and Mr Rubio also reaffirmed the longstanding and substantive bilateral relationship between the two countries in traditional areas of the economy, defence and security, as well as emerging areas such as critical technologies, energy and artificial intelligence.

MFA said they also discussed other potential areas for collaboration, such as when the US holds the presidency for the Group of 20 major economies in 2026 and how Singapore can contribute to US priorities in meaningful and practical ways.

In a separate statement, a spokesperson for Mr Rubio said he reaffirmed the strength of the US-Singapore strategic partnership and the shared commitment of both countries to a “safe, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region”. 

Dr Balakrishnan is on a working visit to London and Washington from June 3 to 7, aimed at advancing bilateral cooperation in traditional and emerging areas of mutual interest.

His visit to Washington – where he will meet senior administration officials, members of Congress and other senior personalities – is the first ministerial visit from Singapore to the US following both governments’ new terms in office.

He will also participate in a fireside chat hosted by US think-tank Hudson Institute, to discuss how the US can deepen engagement with Singapore and the region.