Singapore's PM Envisions Enhanced Cooperation Amid Global Strife
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Synopsis
Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has unveiled three critical initiatives aimed at enhancing the city-state's regional and global partnerships in light of current global tensions, focusing on stewardship of global commons, regional cohesion, and strengthening international networks.
Key Takeaways
- Strengthening global commons stewardship.
- Promoting deeper ASEAN integration.
- Enhancing trade agreements with key partners.
- Expanding diplomatic missions in Africa and Latin America.
- Addressing troubling global economic trends.
Singapore, April 17 (NationPress) In an effort to navigate an increasingly fragmented and turbulent world, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has introduced three pivotal initiatives aimed at bolstering the city-state's regional and global alliances.
During his address at the S Rajaratnam Lecture, Wong emphasized that the first initiative is to actively contribute to the stewardship of the global commons. While Singapore will continue to prioritize Southeast Asia, it plans to allocate additional resources to partners beyond this region, including those in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, the Pacific, and the Caribbean.
The second initiative focuses on promoting deeper regional cohesion and integration. Wong highlighted that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remains central to Singapore's foreign policy and urged the elimination of all tariffs across the region, alongside efforts to further diminish non-tariff barriers and finalize the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement.
He also called for the enhancement of ASEAN's free trade agreements with crucial partners such as China, India, and South Korea, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The third initiative aims to fortify Singapore's global network of partnerships. Wong advocated for increased collaboration between the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the European Union (EU), while also deepening the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership.
Beyond economic relations, Singapore aspires to broaden strategic partnerships with like-minded nations and establish new connections in areas such as the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, he stated. To facilitate this, Singapore intends to inaugurate new diplomatic missions in Africa and Latin America in the years ahead.
Wong's proposed initiatives are a response to what he described as deeply troubling global trends. While the use of economic tools to further national interests is not a new phenomenon, he noted that it has intensified with the latest US tariff actions.
