Sixty Years of Steady Friendship: New Zealand And Singapore's Quiet But Powerful Alliance

On October 9, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will host Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in Auckland. The visit coincides with 60 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations — a moment not just of celebration, but of reflection and renewal.

“Singapore is one of our closest and most trusted partners,” Luxon said ahead of the visit, calling it “a milestone moment” for both sides. “This visit is about momentum — taking a strong, future-focused partnership forward.”

In Auckland, the two leaders will sign a Joint Vision Statement to launch a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) — an upgrade from the Enhanced Partnership (EP) signed in 2019.

It’s a milestone that signals how far this relationship has come, and how much more it still hopes to achieve.

From Independence to Institutional Trust

When Singapore became an independent nation in 1965, New Zealand was among the first countries to extend recognition. The following year, both opened high commissions, quickly turning diplomatic ties into practical cooperation. Wellington offered technical and defence support in those early years — gestures that helped lay a foundation of trust.

That trust took a formal shape in 1971 through the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), linking New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and the UK. What began as a Cold War security mechanism has become one of the region’s longest-standing defence frameworks.

New Zealand forces were stationed at Dieppe Barracks in Singapore until 1989, long after British and Australian forces had scaled back. As Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew later recalled during a 1975 visit to Wellington, Kiwi troops gave Singapore “a psychological sense of stability and security.”

Today, FPDA exercises have expanded to include maritime domain awareness, cyber-defence and counter-terrorism. As The Diplomat notes, the arrangement has evolved from deterrence into “a living framework for regional confidence-building.”

Growing Complexity: From Trade to the Enhanced Partnership

The 1980s and 1990s saw both countries embrace market liberalisation and regionalism. In 1999, they signed the New Zealand–Singapore Closer Economic Partnership (CEP). It became a model for future regional pacts, including the P4 Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

By the 2000s, ties had moved beyond economics. Education, migration, and tourism deepened people-to-people links. A 2007 codeshare between Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines connected the two markets across the Pacific.

In 2019, then–Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s visit to Singapore launched the Enhanced Partnership (EP) — a wide-ranging framework covering trade, security, innovation, and cultural exchange. According to the Singapore MFA, the EP produced more than 40 initiatives across six areas: trade and economics, security and defence, science and technology, people-to-people links, climate change and green economy, and supply chains and connectivity.

In April 2024, Prime Ministers Luxon and Lee Hsien Loong added a new pillar on Supply Chains and Connectivity, announcing plans for an Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies to secure food, medicine, and critical goods in times of disruption.

The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: Why It Matters

The new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) takes that cooperation a step higher.
It aims to deepen and future-proof the relationship, ensuring that Singapore and New Zealand can navigate an era of digital disruption, climate change, and geopolitical uncertainty together.

Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan says the CSP will “elevate bilateral relations, deepen cooperation, and embark on new areas.”
added that it responds to a world where “multilateralism is under pressure and the global rules-based order is being tested.”

For New Zealand, this formal upgrade reflects both continuity and confidence — building on a friendship already described by Luxon as “one of our most trusted in Southeast Asia.”

Six Decades of Partnership

In the 1960s, the two nations established diplomatic ties and early technical cooperation.
The 1970s brought the FPDA, anchoring defence links.
In the 1980s and 1990s, trade reforms and the CEP transformed economic engagement.
The 2000s saw stronger education and travel links, while the 2010s added innovation and environmental collaboration through the EP.

Then came 2020’s Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) — the world’s first digital-only trade pact, launched with Chile. According to MFAT, it is – “The world’s first standalone digital trade agreement that supports New Zealand exporters, including small and medium enterprises, to take advantage of opportunities generated by digital trade.”

New Zealand, Chile, and Singapore were the original signatories of DEPA with the Republic of Korea officially joining it in May 2024. Costa Rica was formally invited to accede to the DEPA in January 2025, and is on track to become the fifth member. 

By 2022, climate action entered the partnership’s mainstream, and in 2024, supply-chain resilience joined the agenda.

Now, in 2025, the CSP signals an ambition to bring all of these threads together into one comprehensive vision.

A photo from Wong's Faceebook. He posted it with the caption: "Happy to reconnect with New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon, soon after our breakfast in Samoa. Singapore and New Zealand are like-minded and trusted friends. We are both small and open economies, with a shared interest in strengthening the rules-based multilateral system. That’s why we often work together on pathfinding initiatives like the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement. Look forward to working together to forge stronger ties and a closer partnership!" Image credits MDDI Photo by Terrence Tan/amc

Trade, Technology, and the Green Transition

Singapore remains New Zealand’s largest trading partner in Southeast Asia. Bilateral trade exceeds NZ$10 billion annually, encompassing goods, services, and investment.
Singapore is also a key logistics and financial hub — nearly a quarter of New Zealand’s seaborne exports transit through the Port of Singapore.

Digital cooperation has become a signature area. Through DEPA, the two nations co-develop rules for cross-border data flows, e-invoicing, and online trade. It’s an example of small states shaping the digital rulebook rather than waiting for larger economies to decide it.

Climate and sustainability are now central pillars. The governments have agreed to deepen work on low-carbon hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, and carbon markets, with Singapore contributing investment and innovation, and New Zealand providing renewable resources and policy expertise.

People, Policy, and Shared Stories

Beyond policy, this relationship is deeply human. Generations of students, academics, and entrepreneurs have moved between the two nations. Cultural exchanges, research collaborations, and tourism have helped build personal connections that make the diplomatic ones easier.

During his visit this week, PM Wong will lay a wreath at the Auckland War Memorial Museum — echoing his similar tribute in Canberra — and meet with overseas Singaporeans to mark the republic’s 60 years of independence.

The symbolism runs deep: remembering shared sacrifices, acknowledging shared futures.
Under the EP, both countries have also expanded work-holiday visas and research partnerships, while universities collaborate in areas like agriculture, public policy, and technology.

Similar Values, Different Styles

New Zealand and Singapore often align in outlook but differ in style.
Singapore spends close to 3 percent of its GDP on defence and maintains a deliberate non-aligned posture, whereas New Zealand emphasises alliances, multilateralism, and moral leadership.

Still, both navigate the same pressures — balancing relations with China and the US, defending open trade routes, and advocating ASEAN centrality. In regional forums like APEC, the WTO, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, they often speak with one voice for open, fair, and sustainable trade.

In 2025, Wong described New Zealand as a “like-minded partner — one that shares Singapore’s instinct for stability through cooperation and one that Singapore needed to deepen and expand strategic partnerships with.

Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

As New Zealand and Singapore take their relationship into this new comprehensive phase, the challenge will be to translate goodwill into tangible outcomes that meet the demands of a fast-changing world. Security cooperation will need to evolve beyond traditional defence exercises to cover newer and more complex threats — from cyberattacks and misinformation to maritime and space security. Both countries already collaborate under the FPDA, but the CSP opens the door to sharing expertise in technology-driven defence, crisis response, and intelligence coordination.

Another key test will be in strengthening supply chain resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored how vulnerable global trade routes can be. Singapore and New Zealand’s proposed Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies aims to guarantee that critical goods — food, medicine, and technology components — keep moving even during disruptions. This builds on the air-freight cooperation they pioneered during the pandemic and reflects a shared desire to keep their economies open and reliable.

A photo from Wong's Facebook, which he shared with the caption: "Caught up with New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon over breakfast. Singapore and New Zealand have close and longstanding ties, and will be celebrating 60 years of diplomatic ties next year. We look forward to strengthening our ties in many areas like defence, green economy and food security." Image credits MDDI Photo by Fyrol/amc

At the same time, the green transition offers both challenge and promise. The two governments are already working together on low-carbon hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, and carbon markets, but the real test lies in scaling these ideas to commercial levels. Singapore brings capital, innovation ecosystems, and energy infrastructure, while New Zealand contributes renewable resources, policy experience, and research capability. Together, they could model how small economies lead big changes in the energy landscape.

Digital transformation is another major opportunity. With the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) as a foundation, both nations are well placed to shape rules around artificial intelligence, cross-border data flows, and online trade standards. As the world grapples with regulating AI and protecting privacy, the Singapore–New Zealand partnership can demonstrate how values-based, pragmatic governance can coexist with innovation.

Health diplomacy and resilience will also feature more strongly in the years ahead. The pandemic showed the importance of trusted partnerships in managing medical logistics and research collaboration. Closer work on public health data, biosecurity, and regional vaccine readiness could become an extension of their existing cooperation on essential supplies.

Finally, beyond policy and trade, the relationship’s future depends on people and culture. Both governments recognise that long-term understanding grows through student exchanges, tourism, creative collaborations, and cultural diplomacy. As the CSP broadens cooperation, more space could open up for joint film, arts, and education programmes — soft-power investments that quietly nurture empathy and respect across borders.

In short, the next decade will ask both countries to balance ambition with agility. Whether the task is building greener economies, managing digital risks, or keeping trade routes open, Singapore and New Zealand’s partnership will thrive on what has always defined it — trust, adaptability, and a shared belief that small states can still shape the global order.

Looking Forward

When PM Wong and PM Luxon sign the Joint Vision Statement in Auckland, it will mark more than an anniversary. It will symbolise 60 years of steady friendship and the start of a deeper, more dynamic chapter.

Over the coming years, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will likely expand into new areas — from AI governance and supply resilience to creative industries and sustainability.
The two nations have shown that small states, when guided by trust and foresight, can wield quiet influence in an unsettled world.

“We’re not just marking 60 years of friendship,” Luxon said in his statement. “We’re setting the course for the next 60.”

-Asia Media Centre