(Bloomberg) -- Singapore’s agreement to establish a fighter jet training detachment on Guam “sets the trajectory” in which the city-state sees itself in partnership with the U.S, its defense chief said.

Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen and U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper signed the agreement, which followed the recent renewal of a pact that allows American forces use of Singapore bases, according to a statement on the Singapore Ministry of Defence’s website.

Most leaders and people in Asia would say they want America’s presence to be continued, Ng said Saturday at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California. “They don’t want to choose between great power rivalry between the U.S. and China, but they also both want to be involved, including other powers.”

Ng said U.S. domestic politics, which he described as “not business as usual” and “hard not to notice,” are causing an adjustment in policy, without elaborating.

To contact the reporters on this story: Wes Goodman in Singapore at wgoodman@bloomberg.net;Glen Carey in Washington at gcarey8@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Shamim Adam at sadam2@bloomberg.net, Keith Gosman

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