WASHINGTON, Oct 24 — Singapore Airlines inked deal yesterday with US aircraft maker Boeing in Washington to purchase aircrafts worth US$13.8 billion (RM58.4 billion), China’s Xinhua news agency reported.

Boeing’s chief executive officer signed paperwork at the White House with the CEO of Singapore Airlines, which agreed to purchase 20 Boeing 777s and 19 Boeing 787s.

US President Donald Trump and visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong witnessed the signing of the agreement, according to a statement from the White House.

"We do a lot of business with Singapore. The relationship now is at its highest point and it will continue,” Trump told reporters before his working luncheon with Lee.

The US president also noted that the deal will create 70,000 jobs in the United States.

The relations between the United States and Singapore are "prospering,” said Lee, who also vowed to deepen bilateral ties in the future.

The two leaders held talks at the White House to further boost cooperation between the two countries on economic, trade and defence issues. — Bernama