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S’pore to help Asean ride digitalisation wave: Balakrishnan

SINGAPORE — When the Republic takes on the chairmanship of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) next year, it will be looking to build a network of smart cities, and create opportunities in the digital space for small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan speaks at Speaking at a lecture titled Asean: Next 50 at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute on Dec 5, 2017. Photo: Vivian Balakrishnan/Facebook

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan speaks at Speaking at a lecture titled Asean: Next 50 at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute on Dec 5, 2017. Photo: Vivian Balakrishnan/Facebook

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SINGAPORE — When the Republic takes on the chairmanship of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) next year, it will be looking to build a network of smart cities, and create opportunities in the digital space for small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).

It also hopes to help Asean “harvest” its “demographic dividend”, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who noted that 60 per cent of the region’s 628-million population is below the age of 35. “But young people are a source of great opportunity and inspiration (only) if we ensure that they have the relevant skills, the governments have invested in the latest, up-to-date infrastructure, and that our social, political and economic systems give people opportunities,” said Dr Balakrishnan, who is also the minister in charge of Singapore’s Smart Nation drive.

Speaking at a lecture titled Asean: Next 50 at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute on Tuesday (Dec 5), Dr Balakrishnan outlined Singapore’s priorities during its term as Asean chair, as well as the challenges facing the region.

Among other things, he noted that the global digital revolution has caused anxiety among the rising middle class. “Economic and political institutions are being tested as never before, and the jobs of today are at risk of becoming obsolete,” he said. “The real challenge is to ensure that our people have the right skills and the new jobs…so that the new middle class can rise, and no one is left behind.”

Greater digital integration will connect people across Asean, facilitating the flow of ideas and solutions, he added.

He cited the example of how migrant workers still incur “exorbitant rates” to remit money to their hometowns. “Surely, in this new digital age… Can we just make sure hardworking people get to remit the fruits of their labour to their families back home as efficiently, and at the most cost-effective way possible?” said Dr Balakrishnan. “To what extent can Asean be digitally integrated? Can we make ourselves a single digital market?”

Turning to other items on the Republic’s agenda during its Asean chairmanship, Dr Balakrishnan said it also hopes to step up efforts for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership — a pact between Asean and countries such as Australia, China, India and Japan — and ramp up business opportunities in general for SMEs in the region.

Following a 30-minute speech, Dr Balakrishnan fielded a range of questions on how Singapore plans to help Asean manage global challenges, such as climate change, and the relationships between global superpowers.

He noted that how things unfold between the United States and China will have a “tremendous impact” on the rest of the world, “even though we have no say”.

Describing the situation in North Korea as another area of “great concern”, Dr Balakrishnan said: “It is a clear and present danger. My only wish is that, every leader could build up sufficient trust with all its protagonists…and (pursues) mutual interdependence (as) the way forward.”

Asean will always be hit by “centrifugal forces” from within the region and beyond, he stressed. “The challenge is whether we allow these external tsunamis to overwhelm us, to divide us, or whether we collectively build a bigger, stronger ship that will allow us to navigate out of danger and to expand opportunities for all our people,” he said.

Citing the South China Sea territorial disputes as an example, Mr Balakrishnan said the proposed code of conduct, though a positive step, is no panacea. “It is not going to be solved overnight... And there will be other issues, I am sure, in the future that could derail (the situation)… But we have got to keep the longer-term interests at stake,” he said.

Asean believes in collaborating to achieve “win-win outcomes”, not pursuing zero-sum games, where small states become merely “vessels or proxies”, he added. “(We are then) able to tell any superpower… please don’t force us to choose sides, because… we are a region with great opportunity and there is more than enough space and opportunity for everyone.”

Responding to a question on Singapore’s role as a “small state”, Dr Balakrishnan stressed that the Republic will continue to maintain its sovereignty and independence. “We will always be a small state. However, perhaps because of the peculiar way in which we came about, and the equally astonishing way in which we have reached our current level of development, we do not believe in surrendering to our fates. We do not believe in becoming a vessel state,” he said.

The Republic does not proclaim to be a “leader” or a “role-model”, but hopes to facilitate peace and prosperity in the region by building “strategic trust” and fostering cooperation.

“(We hope) to continue to do well for our own people, and (also to be) an honest broker to all our partners and stakeholders, so that people know that when a Singaporean leader says something, he means what he says,” he said.

 

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