Relationship dossier
New Zealand
Singapore
Relationship assessment
A sustained partnership built on trade agreements, enhanced cooperation and longstanding defence ties.
New Zealand toward Singapore
+65New Zealand concluded the bilateral Closer Economic Partnership with Singapore, which entered into force in 2001, and joined Singapore in establishing the Enhanced Partnership in 2019. New Zealand also cooperates with Singapore through the Five Power Defence Arrangements.
Singapore toward New Zealand
+65Singapore concluded the bilateral Closer Economic Partnership with New Zealand, which entered into force in 2001, and joined New Zealand in establishing the Enhanced Partnership in 2019. Singapore also cooperates with New Zealand through the Five Power Defence Arrangements.
Overall relationship
+65The relationship has durable institutional foundations in a bilateral free-trade agreement and an enhanced partnership covering wider cooperation, alongside longstanding defence links through the Five Power Defence Arrangements. These arrangements support a close and broadly cooperative relationship; no specific bilateral dispute is identified in this assessment.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
New Zealand and Singapore maintain a sustained, substantive partnership spanning trade, security and wider regional cooperation. Their bilateral Closer Economic Partnership, in force since 2001, and the 2019 Singapore–New Zealand Enhanced Partnership provide durable frameworks for cooperation. Both also participate in the Five Power Defence Arrangements, supporting longstanding defence ties.
Key developments
The New Zealand–Singapore Closer Economic Partnership entered into force, establishing a bilateral free-trade framework.
New Zealand and Singapore launched the Singapore–New Zealand Enhanced Partnership to deepen cooperation across multiple areas.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of cooperation under the Enhanced Partnership are unclear.
- The extent of recent bilateral defence activity is unclear.