SINGAPORE: Singapore will have to strengthen its cohesion and stay united in an increasingly multipolar and unpredictable world, said Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday (Jan 24).
Speaking at an event organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs' (SIIA), Dr Balakrishnan said a lot of the pre-requisites for Singapore's past success such as a liberal world order, global supply chains, peace in the region and a stable global balance of power have been severely eroded.
He added that around the world, inflation, inequality, immigration issues loom large.
“We are also witnessing, at a domestic political level all over the world, an erosion in trust, in domestic political systems and in international institutions,” said Dr Balakrishnan.
He pointed out that more than 60 countries held elections last year. Out of these elections, one quarter had resulted in a change in the ruling government, he said.
“Even in those where the incumbents came back, they witnessed a significant erosion in political support. So, many incumbents, including India, Japan, France, South Africa, lost significant vote share. Within the G7, there are new prime ministers in the UK, France, Japan, soon, Canada, and there will be elections in Germany in February,” he said.
“So, the point I'm making is that politics everywhere, in fact, is local. It is local citizens who vote, not international cosmopolitans, and we are living in a world, in which at the domestic level, there are deep anxieties about globalisation, multilateralism and free trade,” he added.
Turning to Singapore - which has begun its countdown to its next general election and saw the ruling People’s Action Party electing its new central executive committee last month - Dr Balakrishnan said that every time there’s a transition, there will be a test for the new leadership.
“We must expect the new leadership team to be probed, to be pushed, to be assessed. Does the new leadership team have the spine, the courage and the gumption of the past? The second test a new leadership has to pass is, does the new leadership have the support of the people?
“In the face of these challenges, both the leaders and the people have to rise and answer these fundamental questions.
“We'll have to look out for each other, we'll have to maintain unity, we’ll have to strengthen cohesion, we’ll have to retool, reskill, reboot our economy, and we will have to continue to make common cause,” he said.
During his speech, Dr Balakrishnan spoke about the progress Singapore has made over the past six decades, which includes growing its economy, developing its healthcare, education and housing systems as well as building a unique and cohesive Singapore identity.
However, profound challenges lie ahead.
"What is a small, hyper-connected, hyper-globalised city-state like Singapore (to) do in a world that is more suspicious of globalisation and its benefits and deal with the technological revolution to boot, and deal also with maintaining and forging cohesion, consensus, without erasing diversity, but making sure there's enough centre of gravity in the middle."
“For Singapore, we actually have no choice. We need to remain open, inclusive, and as far as foreign policy and alignment is concerned, we need to maintain an omnidirectional balance and (have) productive and constructive engagement with all powers, big and middle,” he added.
He pointed out that Singapore’s fundamental realities of being a tiny, low-lying city-state with no hinterland and domestic market have not changed.
“If Singapore was not successful economically, if we were not able to defend what is ours militarily, if we were not united despite the inbuilt diversity of our population, no amount of brilliance, erudition, sophistication in negotiation will … give us a seat at the global stage,” he said.
“So the point is unity, success, the ability and willingness to defend and to stand on our own two feet remain absolutely essential, perhaps even more essential going forward.”
He added that Singapore must also not allow itself to get into a position where it can be bought or bullied.
“Therefore, there must be no mistake about our determination to unabashedly pursue and prioritise our long-term enlightened national interests, and that we will defend our sovereignty,” he said.
Continue reading...
Speaking at an event organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs' (SIIA), Dr Balakrishnan said a lot of the pre-requisites for Singapore's past success such as a liberal world order, global supply chains, peace in the region and a stable global balance of power have been severely eroded.
He added that around the world, inflation, inequality, immigration issues loom large.
“We are also witnessing, at a domestic political level all over the world, an erosion in trust, in domestic political systems and in international institutions,” said Dr Balakrishnan.
He pointed out that more than 60 countries held elections last year. Out of these elections, one quarter had resulted in a change in the ruling government, he said.
“Even in those where the incumbents came back, they witnessed a significant erosion in political support. So, many incumbents, including India, Japan, France, South Africa, lost significant vote share. Within the G7, there are new prime ministers in the UK, France, Japan, soon, Canada, and there will be elections in Germany in February,” he said.
“So, the point I'm making is that politics everywhere, in fact, is local. It is local citizens who vote, not international cosmopolitans, and we are living in a world, in which at the domestic level, there are deep anxieties about globalisation, multilateralism and free trade,” he added.
Turning to Singapore - which has begun its countdown to its next general election and saw the ruling People’s Action Party electing its new central executive committee last month - Dr Balakrishnan said that every time there’s a transition, there will be a test for the new leadership.
“We must expect the new leadership team to be probed, to be pushed, to be assessed. Does the new leadership team have the spine, the courage and the gumption of the past? The second test a new leadership has to pass is, does the new leadership have the support of the people?
“In the face of these challenges, both the leaders and the people have to rise and answer these fundamental questions.
“We'll have to look out for each other, we'll have to maintain unity, we’ll have to strengthen cohesion, we’ll have to retool, reskill, reboot our economy, and we will have to continue to make common cause,” he said.
Related:
"PROFOUND CHALLENGES"
During his speech, Dr Balakrishnan spoke about the progress Singapore has made over the past six decades, which includes growing its economy, developing its healthcare, education and housing systems as well as building a unique and cohesive Singapore identity.
However, profound challenges lie ahead.
"What is a small, hyper-connected, hyper-globalised city-state like Singapore (to) do in a world that is more suspicious of globalisation and its benefits and deal with the technological revolution to boot, and deal also with maintaining and forging cohesion, consensus, without erasing diversity, but making sure there's enough centre of gravity in the middle."
“For Singapore, we actually have no choice. We need to remain open, inclusive, and as far as foreign policy and alignment is concerned, we need to maintain an omnidirectional balance and (have) productive and constructive engagement with all powers, big and middle,” he added.
He pointed out that Singapore’s fundamental realities of being a tiny, low-lying city-state with no hinterland and domestic market have not changed.
“If Singapore was not successful economically, if we were not able to defend what is ours militarily, if we were not united despite the inbuilt diversity of our population, no amount of brilliance, erudition, sophistication in negotiation will … give us a seat at the global stage,” he said.
“So the point is unity, success, the ability and willingness to defend and to stand on our own two feet remain absolutely essential, perhaps even more essential going forward.”
He added that Singapore must also not allow itself to get into a position where it can be bought or bullied.
“Therefore, there must be no mistake about our determination to unabashedly pursue and prioritise our long-term enlightened national interests, and that we will defend our sovereignty,” he said.
Continue reading...