Singapore  - Singapore became the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to sign an agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation in civil aviation security with the United States, the Transport Ministry said Tuesday.

"Civil aviation security is critical to the global civil aviation industry," a ministry's statement said.

The agreement was signed in Washington by Choi Shing Kwok, the ministry's permanent secretary, and Gale Rossides, deputy administrator for the Transport Security Administration of the US Department of Homeland Security.

It aims to boost cooperation in security policy, procedures and standards, technology, operations and technical expertise.

"Both countries could work together on testing new aviation security equipment to improve screening measures," the statement said. (dpa)