PM Wong & SM Lee express condolences over LA wildfires on calls with US VP Kamala Harris

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed their condolences to those affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles (LA), California in separate phone calls to U.S. vice-president Kamala Harris on the evening of Jan. 14.

Sharing an update via his official Telegram channel, PM Wong shared that he had conveyed Singapore's condolences and sympathies to the individuals and communities affected by the wildfires in California.

He added that he thanked Harris for her efforts to strengthen the Singapore-U.S. relationship during her time in the Biden-Harris Administration, and wished her the best for her future endeavours.

In a statement published by The White House on Jan. 7, Harris expressed her regret that she was not able to travel to Singapore as planned, amidst "historic wildfires" in LA.

Harris was scheduled to travel to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia from Jan. 13 through Jan. 17.

It would have been her last official trip before stepping down as the vice-president on Jan. 20.

She would have met leaders both PM Wong and SM Lee at the Istana for lunch, and was scheduled to visit Changi Naval Base to meet U.S. service personnel as well, said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Harris thanked both PM Wong and SM Lee for their partnership throughout the Biden-Harris administration.

Harris also thanked SM Lee for the hospitality he had shown her during her previous trip to Singapore in August 2021.

Top image from @kamalaharris/Instagram and Lawrence Wong/Telegram