Staying relevant is ‘S’pore’s foreign policy imperative’

SINGAPORE — As the Republic marks 50 years of independence, creating relevance in international relations remains an overriding strategic imperative for Singapore, said Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam. For the nation to stay relevant, it needs to continue to be successful and exceptional. “No one will pay us attention if we are a failed state,” said Mr Shanmugam at the Committee of Supply (COS) debate in Parliament yesterday.

Noting that Singapore’s relevance in global relations is only a means to an end, he added: “We need to be relevant so others will engage and cooperate with us.” The minister said that in the Republic’s Jubilee Year, it is useful to restate the realities that have shaped its foreign policy, including its small size, multiracial society and an evolving geo-political situation that features competition among major powers.

Singapore has developed strong partnerships with other countries and created international space that it needs to advance national interests. Strengthening the regional architecture, with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at its core, has also been a cornerstone of the Republic’s foreign policy, he said.

As part of regional integration efforts, the group will establish an ASEAN Community by Dec 31. A key focus will be the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which will transform the group into a single regional market.

Despite concerns among Singaporeans that the AEC would lead to a loss of jobs and put small and medium enterprises here at a disadvantage, and that foreigners would be more privileged than Singaporeans, the minister said these were misperceptions. “Singapore is a very small market and we need access to a larger market,” said Mr Shanmugam. As a centre of capital that is conducive for business, “Singaporeans are well placed to benefit from the AEC and tap exciting opportunities in the region”, he added.

As the external environment remains in a flux, the minister said Singapore must continue to remain vigilant to both threats and opportunities. Touching on the Islamic State extremist group, he said the expanding terror network is a serious threat to global security. The Republic is not immune and must continue to stay vigilant.

Briefing Parliament on bilateral ties with major powers such as the United States, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Grace Fu said the relationships were overall positive, despite the many global challenges. This year, Singapore will celebrate 50 years of bilateral ties with many nations. The House also heard that the Singapore Cooperation Programme, the primary platform through which the Republic shares development experiences, will receive its 100,000th participant this year.

Among the challenges faced by the Foreign Ministry is how to meet Singaporeans’ growing demand for consular services. “We are a small ministry and cannot afford to deal with ... non-urgent requests that will divert ... limited resources away from Singaporeans who require genuine assistance,” said Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.