Asean Tribune

Professor Philip Choo,

Group CEO, NHG

 

Assistant Professor Lambert Low,

Chairman, Organising Committee,

Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress 2021

 

Distinguished speakers and delegates,

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

1.    A very good morning to all. It is my pleasure to join you today at the Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress 2021.
2.    Before I begin my address, I would first like to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to all our healthcare workers present. The past two years have been extremely challenging for our healthcare family – all of you have been at the forefront of our nation’s fight against COVID-19. I have personally seen and witnessed the selfless dedication of many of our healthcare workers, often going beyond the call of duty, making countless sacrifices, in order to keep our people safe.Thank you!
3.    Despite the current evolving situation, I am confident that our resilience and collective social responsibility as a nation, will serve us well, as we move towards COVID-resilience.This is also linked to this year’s theme on ‘The Brave New World of Healthcare’, charting out our journey towards a COVID-19 resilient nation, as we brave new frontiers together as one healthcare family.

Changing Operating Environment

4.    The pandemic has taught us two lessons – first, that the resilience of a country’s healthcare system is key to its success in containing the virus; and second, pandemics are fought not only at the frontlines of our healthcare systems, but also on the social front. Whether countries succeeded, depended on how robust their social systems were, and how much people trusted their governments.
5.    Fortunately, in Singapore, we have built our health and social systems on strong foundations and fundamentals. We have a renowned healthcare system, delivering one of the highest standards of healthcare and outcomes globally. Our healthcare system is also a core part of our Social Compact, where we ensure that all Singaporeans can access affordable and quality healthcare services. Providing them with a peace of mind and certainty against life’s vicissitudes. And where we unite our society, across public, people and private sectors, to uplift those with less among us. We have seen this during the crisis – as individuals, family members, neighbours, businesses banded together with our healthcare workers, government agencies – to care for those affected.
6.    However, our operating environment will become more challenging going forward. COVID-19 will not be the last health crisis and we will also face new social challenges. Our society is ageing, and this will bring about new challenges. While our people may have one of the longest life expectancies, about 10 years of our lives are spent in poor health. An ageing population, coupled with unhealthy lifestyle behaviours associated with modern living, such as unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, will lead to an increase in the prevalence of frailty and chronic diseases. This will in turn drive up healthcare costs. If left unchecked, it will be unsustainable in the longer term.
7.    While we have made significant progress in tackling some of these issues, such as in our community health programmes, we can do more as an entire system. I am heartened to know that this year’s Congress will be looking into transformative efforts, that can bring us closer to a more sustainable healthcare system and healthy population. Let me elaborate on three key areas.

Innovation and digital transformation for quality care

8.    First, we need to transform our healthcare system in the area of digitalisation, and leverage digital tools for care delivery. COVID-19 has accelerated this need. In response, we had to speedily put in place several applications and systems to augment our public health surveillance. For instance,the TraceTogether application enabled early identification of individuals who might have exposure to COVID-19 to prevent further transmission. The COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments System has also supported the mass roll-out of vaccination exercises across Singapore, enabling clinicians to access medical records to ascertain patients’ suitability for vaccination.
9.    We also saw greater up-take of telehealth consultations. During the Circuit Breaker, the NHG provided over 42,000 tele-consultations – a 20-fold increase from 2019. This was also precipitated by time-limited extension of the CHAS Chronic subsidies and MediSave usage, covering video consultations for all chronic conditions under the Chronic Disease Management Programme. Research show that telehealth can be equivalent, and even more clinically effective at times, than conventional care delivery in specific areas. Going forward, telehealth consultations will become a definitive feature of our care delivery, complementing traditional face-to-face medical consultations.
10.    Another related area is data-enabled care. To provide seamless and continued care across settings and domains, clinicians will require access to reliable data. There have been several efforts by different agencies to do this. In this regard, I would like to commend NHG‘s institutions for their efficient Command, Control and Communications systems (or “C-cube”). It has helped to smoothen out coordination of patient care across settings in meaningful ways. For example, by providing visibility on frontline operations and prompts for key decisions, such as in manpower deployment and capacity management. It has helped to weather through periods of surges due to COVID-19. As our healthcare needs evolve, our investments in digitalisation for clinical care need to grow in tandem.

Strengthening our social compact to address health inequalities

11.    Second, as I mentioned earlier, our healthcare system is a core part of our enabling Social Compact in Singapore. Our success as a nation in overcoming future pandemics and health crises, rests not only on the resilience of our healthcare systems, but also the togetherness of our nation. COVID-19 has heightened the awareness that everyone has a role to play in achieving good health and well-being. Since last year, individuals took efforts to observe Safe Management Measures to stay well. Different parts of the community stepped up, to support each other and those who were vulnerable. This is the Singapore spirit.
12.    We have seen how the pandemic has affected various groups in society, especially the vulnerable. Research have also shown that the Social Determinants of Health, such as social, economic and environmental factors, can influence up to 80% of health outcomes. If we want to achieve and sustain a healthy population, we need to continually strengthen and sustain an enabling Social Compact. We can contribute to this national goal, as one healthcare family, through closer social-health integration.
13.    I will share one tangible example of how we have done so, through Community Link (or ComLink), which MSF leads. We started ComLink to provide more holistic support for families with children living in rental housing, serving 14,000 families over the next two years. It is different from our typical ways of programming. Through ComLink, we unite the various partner organisations in the community and volunteers, to work with us to achieve holistic outcomes for the family, like stability, self-reliance and social mobility. These tend to be cross-cutting and cannot be addressed by one agency or organisation alone. Hence the need for back-end coordination. In essence, ComLink shifts the design approach from being one run by multi-agency programmes to being client-centric. So I am glad that since healthcare too, is a key need of these families, our Regional Health Systems are involved with this effort – specifically the Woodlands Health Campus. They have partnered MSF on a social-health integration pilot to address the health needs of families through ComLink Marsiling in a holistic manner. I look forward to further collaborations between the health and social sectors, as we continue to strengthen and sustain our Social Compact.

Achieving good health in the new normal

14.    Third, prevention is the best medicine. The pandemic has led to a rise in obesity and physical inactivity in the population. These are known risk factors for chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension and high blood cholesterol levels. We can reduce our risk of these chronic diseases through healthy habits and health screenings.
15.    There is also emerging evidence supporting the need to go further upstream, as early as during preconception, to promote population health. This is important, as we want to give every Singaporean child the best start in life, and to provide an enriching environment, where they can flourish and achieve their fullest potential.
16.    To this end, we have set up the Interagency Taskforce on Child and Maternal Health and Well-being. One goal is to see how evidence can be translated into tangible policies and programmes to achieve better health outcomes for our young. I am glad that NHG has worked with MOE to roll out the Living Well@School pilot. Under this programme, parents and teachers are co-opted as partners and role models to enable our primary school students to embrace healthy living early in life.

Closing

17.    In closing, let us press on ahead, as one healthcare family and one nation, as we journey towards a COVID-resilient Singapore. To tackle the challenges beyond COVID-19, we must also continue to transform our healthcare systems, strengthen social-health integration, and address problems upstream. This will put us on a path of building a more sustainable healthcare system and healthy population for generations to come. This requires a collective effort, from all parts of society and the healthcare system. I wish all of you an enriching and meaningful Congress ahead. Thank you.

 

 

Source: Ministry of Health, Singapore

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III called on Cavitenos to remain brave and strong amid the challenges posed by the lingering pandemic as he led the distribution of government assistance to needy workers in Carmona, Cavite.

Bello also awarded the safety seals to companies that fully complied with the safety and health standards set by the government for workplaces in the country.

“The pandemic spares nobody. Even Cavitenos became victims of Covid 19. But you are tough and continue to brave the onslaught of the crisis,” Bello said during the payout ceremony for the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program in the municipality.

“Thank you for keeping up the fight against the virus. Stay strong and courageous as DOLE will continue to support during these challenging times,” he added.

Bello distributed a total of P2.688 million in TUPAD funds to 672 workers affected by the pandemic.

TUPAD is the cash for work program of DOLE to aid workers displaced by the crisis brought by Covid 19.

Bello has been going around the country to implement the various assistance programs of the government for distressed workers through DOLE.

Earlier, Bello visited the provinces of Zamboanga to respond to the needs of the workers in its key cities and municipalities. Prior to that, he visited the localities in Cagayan and Isabela to help needy workers.

“DOLE is doing its best to make the presence of the government felt by our countrymen especially the workers who continue to be hounded by the pandemic,” Bello said.

“Rest assured that DOLE will be always ready to help as long as its resources allow,” he added.

Meanwhile, more than 10,000 workers were given access to safe workplaces after their employers received the safety seals from DOLE.

The Safety Seal program was initiated by the government to make establishments comply with the health and safety standards in workplaces amid the pandemic.

Granted with the seal are ROHM Electronic, Inc., ON Semiconductor Philippines Inc., Hocheng Philippines Corp., Euro-Swiss Food Inc., Dakki Classic Concepts, Inc., Global Maxx Manufacturing Corp., CGP Metal Works and Stainless Fabrication, Messe and Handel Corp., Trendy Plastic Manufacturing Corp., and Can Asia, Inc.

Bello congratulated the compliant firms and called on their management to continue partnering with the government for the workers’ safety.

“I thank you very much for helping us protect our workers. May we remain partners in keeping the country’s workforce safe and healthy,” he added.

Other DOLE executives led by Undersecretary Ana Dione joined the important occasion to deliver the aid programs in full force.

They were joined by local executives led by Congresswoman Dahlia Loyola, Carmona Mayor Roy Loyola, and Silang Mayor Corie Poblete.

The local leaders thanked Bello for the assistance given by DOLE. They also asked for more aid from Bello, a wish immediately granted by the top labor official.

Bello told DOLE executives to prepare an additional P20 million in TUPAD assistance and 100 Negosyo karts for Carmona and Silang beneficiaries.

 

Source: Department Of Labor and Employment Republic of Philippines

Ms Ellen Lee, President of Silver Ribbon (Singapore)

Board members of Silver Ribbon (Singapore)

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

Good morning. A very warm welcome to the international delegates who are joining us virtually today. It is my pleasure to be here to launch the third Asia Pacific Conference and Meeting on Mental Health.

 

The two-day Conference will bring together mental health advocates, practitioners and professionals to network and exchange views on the best practices and solutions to address mental health issues.

 

It is particularly timely to mobilise efforts in support of mental health now, because COVID-19 has exacerbated the challenges of mental health.

Safe distancing measures and the sense of uncertainty have increased stress and social isolation of many people around the world. A recent study reported in Nature revealed a rise in the prevalence of mental health issues globally since the start of the pandemic. For instance, in the United Kingdom, the percentage of adults who reported symptoms of depression has almost doubled during the COVID-19 period. The situation is even more dire in the United States, with the percentage quadrupling during a similar period.

 

Based on published studies on global mental health, Singapore fared better during the pandemic compared to the United States and United Kingdom, as well as other Asian countries such as Japan and Hong Kong. But we still see a similar trend here. The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) received 50 percent more calls for help in 2020 than in 2019, with a peak in April 2020, coinciding with the start of our Circuit Breaker period. A recent cross-sectional study on the well-being and resilience of local population by IMH found that about 13 percent of those surveyed suffer from depression or anxiety between May 2020 and June 2021. These statistics remain a concern because mental distress, if left unattended, may intensify and fester into a mental illness.

 

The Singapore Government has recently announced the setting up of a new inter-agency task force to oversee our national efforts in promoting mental health and well-being. Comprising senior representatives from the social service, health, education and manpower agencies, this platform is important as it will work on setting up systems and structures to provide holistic psychosocial support for persons with mental health conditions.

 

Indeed, the cross-cutting nature of mental health issues requires not just a whole-of-government approach, but also a whole-of-nation effort in helping persons with mental health conditions. Beyond the Government, there is scope for the community to play a larger role in the continuum of care. For example, if given the necessary support, Social Service Agencies (SSAs) may be in a good position to provide care in a community setting to persons with mental health conditions, given their close proximity to homes and connection with the ground. This is an area where I hope our social sector can step up and help to amplify government-led efforts. This new model of care has the potential to revolutionise our approach to mental healthcare.

 

President’s Challenge (PC) designated mental health as our focus area in 2018. I am glad that since then, PC has allocated close to $1.8 million to support 12 programmes in this important area of work.

 

To help uplift the capabilities of the social sector, I recently invited IMH to partner PC in developing a pilot curriculum that can better prepare SSAs in the case management of youths with mental health conditions. We have decided to focus on youths for a start, as I am particularly concerned about the challenges faced by our younger generation. Over the five-year period from 2015 to 2020, the number of adolescents seen at IMH for depression has increased by about 60%. Anecdotally, we also hear of more students facing stress-related issues over time. We need to do something urgently, as a community, to arrest this trend. I urge our SSAs to join us in this project to help our youths who are facing mental distress.

 

In closing, I wish everyone a fruitful Conference. Let us work together to share ideas and resources, so as to find more effective ways of reaching out and supporting those in need.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Source: President’s Office of Singapore

Keynote Address

 

Minister: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

 

Thank you for this invitation to speak at this year’s Asia Briefing LIVE.

 

We are now into the second year of COVID-19. The virus is now endemic and will be a permanent presence in humanity. The emergence of new variants, in particular the Delta variant which we know has greater infectivity, has caused huge waves of secondary infection everywhere despite the unprecedented speed of vaccine development. Yet, vaccine access and vaccine hesitancy remain a challenge in significant parts of the world.

 

Furthermore, we also see a sharpening of the geopolitical tensions, in particular the US-China tensions, and the emerging strategic re-arrangements like AUKUS and the Quad. Asia is really at the confluence of all these strategic fault lines.

 

Today, I will focus on my remarks on: first, the impact of the US-China relations on our region; second, the exigent need to engage Southeast Asia on our own merits; and third, the role of Australia and Singapore.

 

Let me begin with the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world – the US-China relationship.

 

China’s strategic and economic influence has grown, and today it demands to be treated as an equal. The US remains pre-eminent. It now sees China as a strategic peer competitor – something that is really quite unprecedented for the US. China sees itself as an alternative centre of influence and source of prosperity.

 

The strategic choices that both these countries make – including whether they can work together to uphold a stable and peaceful rules-based international order and meet the challenges of managing the global commons – will determine international peace and stability.

 

Actually, the US and China are not inevitable enemies. Strategic competition between the two powers does not need to descend into conflict. The US and China are both aware of this. US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping both alluded to this in their recent speeches to the UN (United Nations) General Assembly, which I have just returned from a week ago.

 

President Biden said that all major powers have a duty to carefully manage their relationships so that they do not tip from responsible competition into conflict. Similarly, President Xi emphasised the point that it should not be a zero-sum game. One does not need to achieve success at the expense of the other.

 

I do not think that either side wants a collision. Both are painfully aware of the enormous consequences if a collision occurs, whether by design or, more likely, unwittingly by accident. We hope that both parties will work out a modus vivendi that will allow for cooperation in areas of mutual interest even as competition remains in many other areas. We are in the midst of this strategic rebalancing, readjustment, and recalibration of the US-China relationship.

 

Southeast Asia, which has been at the cross-roads of civilisations and trade routes for many centuries, is where the action will be for at least the next couple of decades.  Southeast Asia wants to be engaged on our own merits, rather than to be seen purely through the lens of the US-China competition. We believe that an open and inclusive regional architecture is the best way for countries, big and small, to be able to prosper and to do so peacefully.

 

We believe there are huge opportunities for our region and our external partners in fact have significant equities right here. We welcome them to remain engaged. SEA has 650 million people, (and) a combined GDP of US$3 trillion, which by the way will more than double in the next two decades. ASEAN is projected to be the fourth-largest single market by 2030, after the EU, US and China.

 

The US is the largest investor in Southeast Asia, with a larger stock of investment in the region than what it has cumulatively invested in China, India, Japan, and South Korea combined. China has been ASEAN’s largest trading partner for the past 12 years, but what many people do not realise is that ASEAN has now become China’s largest trading partner since 2020. Australia’s trade with ASEAN countries is larger than Australia’s trade with Japan and the US.

 

There are therefore many areas for regional cooperation. Let me briefly touch on three of them – the COVID-19 recovery, the digital economy and climate change.

 

In the immediate term, countries are focused on recovery from COVID-19 – and in particular, managing this transition from a “COVID zero” strategy to a “COVID resilience” strategy.

 

All of us need to work together on this recovery, helping each other with medical supplies and vaccines, sharing experiences, working together on R&D, as well as real-time information sharing.

 

In the longer term, we need to take forward the recommendations of the G20 High Level Independent Panel to address major gaps in pandemic preparedness; to strengthen the multilateral support for the WHO (World Health Organization) and the UN; and to mobilise resources for our collective security – because this is a clear example where no one is safe until everyone is safe.

 

Second, COVID-19 has in fact accelerated the digital revolution, with the digital economy a key new area of growth.

 

Southeast Asia’s digital economy is projected to grow three-fold by 2025. But the digital divide is also widening around the world and within countries. Digitalisation requires a concerted global response.

 

There are many opportunities, in fact, for digital economy cooperation. Examples include the Digital Economy Agreement between Singapore and Australia; the Digital Economy Partnership between Singapore, New Zealand and Chile; and the WTO (World Trade Organization) Joint Statement Initiative on e-commerce that Singapore and Australia co-lead, together with Japan.

 

We need a global framework to maximise the opportunities and to deal with the challenges posed by the digital revolution. There are several paths that we can take – the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ proposal for a Global Digital Compact is one, another possibility is a new UN convention on digital transformation for sustainable development, or a framework of norms and principles.

 

I look forward to a global architecture that is open, inclusive, and inter-operable, and that will help us manage the digital commons in order to maximise opportunities and reduce the divide.

 

Third, climate change is an existential threat that requires a concerted global response.

 

The August 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report found that without a drastic and rapid reduction in emissions, global temperatures are likely to rise above 1.5 degrees Celsius within the next two decades. This will disproportionately impact developing countries and island states, including especially those of us in Southeast Asia.

 

The fight against climate change will be a stark litmus test of our ability to manage the global commons through multilateral action. Cooperation between China and the US, the two largest global emitters, will be absolutely critical.

 

At the same time, the green economy presents opportunities for the region to work with key partners like the US and China in developing new and innovative solutions in areas including energy, infrastructure, and finance for green opportunities.

 

So where does Australia fit into this picture?

 

We welcome Australia’s continued constructive engagement of our region. The ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) is one of the most comprehensive ASEAN-plus FTAs in force.

 

Australia is already making significant efforts to engage our region in the three areas I mentioned earlier. Australia has made significant contributions to ASEAN’s COVID-19 recovery efforts such as through its Regional Vaccines Access and Health Security Initiative for the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and Australia had made vaccine donations to Southeast Asian countries as well.

 

Australia is also working with Singapore in pursuing forward-looking and ambitious pathfinding initiatives. I mentioned the Digital Economy Agreement earlier. We are now discussing a Green Economy Agreement as well. These could be pathfinders for regional agreements in both the digital economy and green economy.

 

Australia’s participation in our region helps keep our regional architecture open. Australia has always been a strong supporter of ASEAN Centrality since becoming ASEAN’s first Dialogue Partner way back in 1974. Australia is also part of several overlapping regional frameworks, including the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership), the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), and the almost five decade old Five Powers Defence Arrangements. Even if you do not remember this alphabet soup, the key point is that Australia has been an integral part of our region.

 

Now, the newly announced AUKUS, is something which we hope – and I speak now from the perspective of Singapore – we hope that AUKUS will contribute constructively to the peace and stability of our region and the world, and that it will complement the existing regional architecture that is open and inclusive, with ASEAN at its centre.

 

I would like to sum up with three key points.

 

One, in the strategic recalibration of the US-China relationship, constructive competition and cooperation between these two major superpowers is absolutely necessary and indeed possible. The converse outcome would be a catastrophe for everyone.

 

Two, Southeast Asia should be recognised and engaged for our own merits, and not viewed merely as an arena for proxy major power rivalry.

 

Three, COVID-19, the digital economy and climate change are three areas where regional partners can cooperate with all of us in Southeast Asia in dealing with this challenge of the global commons.

 

I look forward to further discussions on these issues with you and a robust Q&A with Haslinda. Thank you all very much.

 

Q&A

 

Haslinda Amin (Bloomberg): Dr Balakrishnan, always good to have you with us, and really good to see you again. I know you are a tad jetlagged. Let us continue with our discussion. You have just returned from what appears to be a positive trip from the US. You talked about engaging Southeast Asia. What is your assessment of US engagement in Southeast Asia, in light of AUKUS, and the nuclear submarine technology that is shared with Australia?

 

Minister: Well, I would look at this in two dimensions. First, there is no question that the US is trying to engage our region. In fact, I think in the last few months, Antony Blinken has engaged with us, both virtually as well as in person three times, with all the foreign ministers of Southeast Asia. So, we are not lacking for attention. The question on AUKUS is actually a different, completely different dimension. Let me put it to you this way. If you look at AUKUS, what it really shows is that Australia has decided to tack far more closely to its historical staunch ally – the United States. You can talk about the specifics of nuclear-powered submarines or you can talk about their cooperation in cybersecurity technology and the rest of it. But really, those are details. The strategic point is that Australia has done its own calculations and decided it needs to tack far more closely with America at a strategic level. In the case of Singapore, we have longstanding, good relations with the US, with Australia and the UK. On our part, we do not have any undue anxieties about this. These are three longstanding partners. We understand their strategic interests. We know this is not directed against us. We will see how this evolves, and as I said in my remarks earlier, the key point is to make a constructive contribution to regional peace and stability, and to complement the regional architecture in an open and inclusive way. As long as these conditions are met, I think this will be positive.

 

Haslinda: The thing is, many countries were caught by surprise. The Philippines now has come out to say that it may be rethinking its support for it (AUKUS). Could it be a threat to regional peace, with some suggesting it might spark, even a regional arms race?

 

Minister: I would not venture into that kind of speculation. As I said, take a step back and understand that, at a strategic level, the big game is the US and China. The US – in its 245 years of independence and emerging from the post-Cold War “unipolar moment” – has never had a peer competitor on this scale and at this level of sophistication and occurring at such a critical moment of both globalisation and threats to the global commons. This is uncharted, unprecedented territory. That is on the bilateral level. Now if you look within Asia, and you ask yourself, well, who are treaty allies of the United States? The answer is Japan, (Republic of) Korea, Australia. Within Southeast Asia, the two treaty allies are actually the Philippines and Thailand. I would stress that Singapore is not a formal ally of the US. We are in a unique category called Major Security Cooperation Partner. Now, I think (for) every country in Southeast Asia – what is it that we want at a strategic level? We want peace and prosperity. For the last five to seven decades, a multilateral rules-based world order based on open economies, free flow of investments and trade, and to a large extent, envisioned and underwritten by the US, has been a formula for peace and prosperity in our part of the world. But actually, the biggest beneficiary of this world order, in fact, has been China, so things have spiralled up into a new situation. I think it is important to understand, therefore, that as far as Southeast Asia is concerned, we do not want to be forced to choose sides. We do not want to become an arena for proxy contests, or even conflict. But depending on the issue, we will take positions, according to our own long-term national interest. A certain amount of, I would not say divergence, but a certain amount of diversity in views is to be expected. I would not, again, be unduly anxious or worried about it.

 

Haslinda: But there are neighbors which are anxious and frankly, I am quite surprised that you say that Singapore does not consider itself an ally of the US. I have always thought that Singapore was a close ally of the US.

 

Minister: You know, we have no treaties (of alliance) that we have signed with the US. We have a Memorandum of Understanding (Regarding US Use of Facilities in Singapore).

 

Haslinda: On the back of the AUKUS saga. Dr Balakrishnan, there have been suggestions that perhaps the EU may bid to play a bigger role in the Indo- Pacific region. Your thoughts on that?

 

Minister: Well, first you should ask why the UK is part of AUKUS. Again, at a strategic level I would say, first the UK has always been a very close ally of the US and of Australia. Second, I think it also reflects a post-Brexit UK, and also projecting its interests to this part of the world. In fact, you know that the UK also has applied to be part of the CPTPP. The EU is also reminding everyone that it has interests in Southeast Asia, and indeed in the Pacific itself.

 

I think France regularly reminds us that they have got a lot of EEZs (Exclusive Economic Zones) in the Pacific. It depends on how you want to view this. I think the Pacific is where the action is going to be, and the fact that if this is where the action is going to be, major powers and including powers of regional blocs like the EU and the mid-size powers, will all have interests in our part of the world. The challenge for us is to be (a) realist, to read the situation as it is and as I said, not to panic, not to overreact but to understand what is going on, why these evolutions in architecture are going on, and then to avoid the pitfalls. It can be done. Like I said, I have expressed the hope that the modus vivendi will first be established between the US and China, and I am making the argument for multilateralism, and a rules-based system. I am making the argument for greater economic interdependence, the continued emphasis on cross-border flows of ideas, capital, investments and trade, because I strongly believe that this is a formula for peace and prosperity. But we will see. Events will unfold and we will see.

 

Haslinda: You have expressed hope. I think everybody hopes that it is not a zero-sum game, at least the two sides – the US and China – will not look at it that way. Are US-China relations getting better or getting worse, do you think? What is your assessment at this stage?

 

Minister: I think that the tensions have escalated. I think the rhetoric has sharpened. But both at the very top – President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden – they are experienced, seasoned statesmen. I do not believe that they are aiming for conflict. But there are certainly issues that they will have to work through, and we do need to give them some space and time to do so. What we are saying from the point of view of Southeast Asia, and in fact from the Pacific, is to say, look, in fact, confronted by a digital revolution and an existential threat of climate change, and an acute challenge from COVID-19, there is so much more to be gained by working collectively, working together. I really believe this does not have to be a zero-sum game.

 

Haslinda: We know that President Biden is reviewing his US policy towards China. What needs rethinking? You talked about how there needs to be a realignment, rebalancing, readjusting. What would it take for both sides to come to some sort of a compromise and work together?

 

Minister: Well, this is where you are asking me to venture into dangerous territory and to give advice.

 

Haslinda: Your thoughts? I mean a lot is at stake for the world.

 

Minister: Just bear in mind, Singapore is not even a mid-sized city in China or in the US. But obviously, we have skin in the game. I guess one point which I would make is for the US to understand that whilst China certainly became part of the multilateral system, particularly with its accession to the WTO 20 years ago, and this has been an avenue for an unprecedented historical achievement of lifting hundreds of millions of people out of abject poverty. But one caveat I would insert is that the US should not expect China to become more like the US. China has a deep, historical sense of identity. It is a civilisation state. It has absolutely no intention of becoming more like the US – both culturally, politically, and even in its economic manifestation, for the sense of it. That is one caution which I would include. From the Chinese perspective, China feels its time has come. It had a century plus of humiliation, primarily because it missed the Industrial Revolution. It is determined not to let that episode of history repeat itself. It does demand to be treated as an equal. It does demand, if need be, for rules, processes, multilateral global institutions to reflect that new balance. Therefore, this is a period of adjustment, recalibration and rebalancing, which the two superpowers will have to come to terms with but the rest of us too. As I said, watch this space. Again, understand the key forces moving these tectonic plates. For the rest of us who are on those fault lines be very, very careful.

 

 

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Singapore

On 1 October 2021, H.E. Mr. Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand delivered a statement on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs during the General Debate of the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77 (G77) and China on the occasion of the Fifteenth Session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XV) via video conference.

The Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs underlined the importance of partnerships among developing countries in transforming a global trade and development system with the Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model (BCG Model) for sustainable and balanced recovery from COVID-19 pandemic and shared three approaches on how to achieve this goal. First, to promote South-South Cooperation to exchange best practices on home-grown sustainable development approach that fits well in each local context. Second, to advance stronger North-South Cooperation to provide developed countries with more financial and technical support in low-carbon technology localisation. Third, to revitalise the global economic governance to address the special conditions of developing countries and bridge the widening rift from the transition to a green economy.

The Meeting also adopted the Bridgetown Ministerial Declaration of the G77 and China to UNCTAD XV to reflect the Group’s commitment to jointly shape the future direction of UNCTAD and the outcome document of UNCTAD XV (Bridgetown Covenant) which will provide a framework for action to address inequality, reduce vulnerability and ensure lasting prosperity for all in the context of COVID-19.

The G77 currently comprises 134 developing countries, making up the largest negotiating bloc in the United Nations. The Group aims to increase the negotiating power of developing countries within the United Nations System and promote South-South cooperation. Thailand was the Chair of G77 and China in 2016.

 

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand