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Willard Chen, ABS-CBN News
Singapore’s foreign policy direction of fostering close ties with its neighbors will remain unchanged despite the planned change in leadership.
Constance See Hsing Yuan, Singapore’s Ambassador to the Philippines, spoke at the Ambassador Lecture Series (ALS) organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Carlos P. He said he would continue. , regional stability, and economic prosperity.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said last year that he would hand over leadership to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in November, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the founding of his ruling People’s Action Party.
“We are excited about this leadership change. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will bring new energy to Singapore’s governance and we are confident that our direction of fostering closer ties with our neighbors will continue. I think the Philippines is a very important partner and will continue to be so. We are a founding member of ASEAN and we are also an important trading partner. So I don’t think that direction will ever change. We are part of this region and the success of our neighbors is critical to Singapore. That is why we actively pursue partnerships and cooperation. We take an approach that makes our neighbors prosper. “The region’s peace, stability and economic prosperity are in our interests, and that is why we actively cooperate with our partners.”
Asked about Singapore’s position on the South China Sea, Mr See said Singapore supports the peaceful resolution of all disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“Singapore’s position on the South China Sea has always been consistent and clearly stated. We have stated our position many times. We are a small country that relies on trade. At three times the GDP, we have fundamental interests at stake, including maintaining regional peace and stability, defending the rights of all countries to freedom of navigation and overflight, and international law. It also includes support for the peaceful resolution of all disputes based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Therefore, it is a firm position and will continue to be seen as such,” Mr See said.
This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Singapore and the Philippines.
Mr. Shi said the partnership between the two countries remains important and he looks forward to strengthening cooperation, especially in the economic field.
Singaporean businesses have welcomed the Marcos administration’s pro-investment, pro-business approach and are actively pursuing partnerships and expanding into the Philippine market.
He said the main areas of interest for Singaporean companies include infrastructure, urban solutions such as waste and water management, sustainability, innovation and digitization, which are the Philippines’ own priorities. It was pointed out that this was consistent with the matter.
Citing several areas of cooperation, Mr See expressed Singapore’s confidence in the Philippines’ development potential and its role in contributing to shared economic prosperity in the region.
“We are invested in the Philippines and will continue to invest. We are ready to work with you,” said See.
The two countries also detailed mutual support in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, including donating medical supplies and facilitating the return of citizens.
Mr See thanked all frontline Filipino workers in Singapore for “standing in solidarity with Singaporeans and playing a vital role in the fight against COVID-19”.
“I think their dedication and courage is an inspiration to all of us,” said See.