SINGAPORE: Singapore's President Halimah Yacob and German Chancellor Angela Merkel reaffirmed bilateral ties between the two countries as they met on Tuesday (Dec 10) in Berlin.

During the meeting at the Federal Chancellary, they also welcomed the implementation of the EU-Singapore free trade agreement, Mdm Halimah said in a Facebook post.



She added that this will further strengthen the strong economic links between Singapore and Germany.



Mdm Halimah also met German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who last visited Singapore in November 2017.

Mr Steinmeier hosted her to a state banquet at the Schloss Bellevue, his official residence.



"Singapore and Germany have always enjoyed a strong, substantive and multifaceted partnership because of our shared strategic interests. I hope that we can continue to build on this friendship in the years to come," Mdm Halimah said.





Singapore President Halimah Yacob with German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier during the inspection of the Guard of Honour contingent. (Photo: MCI)

She also met the governing mayor of Berlin, Mr Michael Muller, two months after they first met when he visited Singapore in October.

"We continued our earlier discussions on how our two sides can deepen cooperation in areas such as trade, defence and education. I look forward to deepening the existing ties between our two countries in the years ahead," she said.



The meetings were part of President Halimah's five-day visit to Germany from Dec 9 to Dec 13.

On Monday, she witnessed the signing of 10 Memoranda of Understanding - mostly related to education and innovation - and visited the campus of German technology company Bosch.



Mdm Halimah’s visit is the first state visit to Germany by a Singapore President since both countries established diplomatic ties 54 years ago.

