Under Secretary of Defense for Policy John C. Rood co-chaired the 9th Strategic Security Policy Dialogue with his Singaporean counterpart, Permanent Secretary of Defence Chan Yeng Kit, on April 20, 2018 at the Pentagon.   Mr.  Rood and Permanent Secretary Chan affirmed the significance of the bilateral partnership and discussed efforts to strengthen mutual defense cooperation and uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific. Topics discussed included maritime security; cyber threats; and joint efforts to combat terrorism.  Additionally, addressed ongoing priorities for Singapore’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The two leaders reiterated the importance of our mutual commitment to the U.S.-Singapore defense relationship.