SINGAPORE, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Singapore and Australia have pledged closer coordination to strengthen economic resilience and safeguard the flow of essential supplies amid disruptions stemming from the ongoing Middle East crisis.
In a joint statement on Friday, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese underscored the strategic role each country plays in the other's energy security.
"Singapore is one of Australia's top suppliers of refined petroleum products, and Australia is one of Singapore's top suppliers of liquefied natural gas (LNG)," they said.
Albanese is on an official visit to Singapore from Thursday to Saturday, including visits to the Singapore LNG Terminal and the Singapore Refining Company on Jurong Island, according to Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Building on a previous joint statement on energy security, the leaders said both governments would make "maximum efforts" to meet each other's energy needs amid volatility in global energy markets.
They also reaffirmed commitments to keep essential goods flowing, including petroleum products such as diesel and LNG, and agreed to step up cooperation to facilitate the timely movement of these supplies.
The two countries also underscored the importance of maintaining a rules-based multilateral trading system, particularly during periods of global uncertainty. ■