PM Lawrence Wong noted that resolving the protracted crisis in Myanmar is not so straightforward. - PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
VIENTIANE, Laos (The Straits Times/ANN): By working together to reap benefits, Asean and its partners are trying to show a different way forward at a time when more countries are talking about barriers and protectionism.
The world is moving in a “somewhat different direction”, and it is all the more important that Asean’s 10 member states and partner nations take steps to accelerate regional integration, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Oct 12.
Speaking to Singapore media in Vientiane, Laos, after attending the Asean Summits and concluding an official visit with his Lao counterpart earlier in the week, PM Wong said: “It is important that Asean and Asean partners show that there can be a different way.
“A way where we work together and benefit from more integration, rather than more isolation, where we can benefit from win-win cooperation and free trade; and that’s what Asean and its partners are trying to do.”
The 44th and 45th Asean Summits and related meetings between regional leaders and countries such as the United States, China, Japan and South Korea was chaired by Laos in 2024.
During the series of back-to-back meetings, Asean and key partners took steps towards deepening relationships through several key agreements ranging from free trade pacts to digital initiatives as well as in the green economy sector.
The annual gathering comes against the backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions, including wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the broader US-China rivalry. Summit discussions were also largely dominated by two regional challenges, namely the disputed South China Sea and the crisis in Myanmar.
The question of Myanmar, which has been engulfed in a civil war since a 2021 military coup, continued to dog Asean leaders during their top-level meetings this week.
A peace plan drawn up by Asean – the five-point consensus that calls for, among other things, dialogue among all parties and a cessation of violent attacks – has seen little progress.
“Asean will do its best, but we have to be realistic that some things take time, and for this particular issue in Myanmar, it is really an issue for Myanmar to resolve,” said PM Wong, noting that resolving the protracted crisis there is not so straightforward.
Still, it does not mean that Asean will give up or do nothing.
“We should continue to support efforts at constructive dialogue, at engaging, at peaceful resolution, and that is what Asean is doing,” he added, once again making the call for partners, like America and China, to help find the best way forward for Myanmar.
Earlier this week, Thailand proposed to host an informal consultation in December with Asean states on the situation in Myanmar. Thai leaders said the consultation would help find ways to support the implementation of the five-point consensus.
PM Lawrence Wong and his Laotian counterpart Sonexay Siphandone, accompanied by their spouses, meeting in Vientiane on Oct 11. - PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
The continued violence in Myanmar and the maritime clashes in the South China Sea, which have seen increasing levels of aggression in recent times, have also raised questions about Asean’s effectiveness in resolving regional issues.
The waterway is at the fore of overlapping territorial claims by China, Taiwan and the four Asean member states of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
But PM Wong said the role of Asean should not be discounted. The grouping was formed in 1967 at the height of the Cold War, during a time when there were fears of a protracted period of disputes and proxy wars in the region.
“But with the establishment of Asean, we have been able to avoid, largely, these scenarios from happening,” he said, adding that despite differences, the grouping was able to start thinking about regional interests and integration.
Today, the world is going through another phase of development, mired by geopolitical rivalry and contest after 30 years of globalisation, said PM Wong, noting that some have dubbed this the “new Cold War”.
“(It is) more important than ever for Asean to look at strengthening its regional integration and making sure that we can have a louder voice on the global stage,” he said.
However, we should brace ourselves for bumps along the way, said PM Wong, adding that Singapore should be prepared for the effect of geopolitical risks like climate change or diplomatic disputes.
But there are still new opportunities for Asean and its external partners as they continue to strengthen links, he said.
While PM Wong has attended many such global meets before in his career as a civil servant and in ministerial roles, this Asean Summit was his first multilateral meeting in his capacity as prime minister.
Touching on some personal takeaways, he said that beyond the formal talks, many more discussions had in fact taken place outside the meeting room.
“When we have informal interactions – some of it through a bilateral, but a lot of it in fact takes place when we have breaks, when we have meals,” he said, adding that he found these interactions to be a useful opportunity to build relationships with familiar and new faces.
“The face-to-face opportunities for interaction, (those) are the most meaningful. It gives Asean a very meaningful platform for leaders to come together.”
During his time in Laos, PM Wong also had an official visit with his Laos counterpart, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, and also met Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith.
This is the 50th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Both nations share longstanding ties and have collaborated on various fronts, including clean energy, sustainability and student exchanges.
And there are new promising areas for mutual cooperation, such as in food security and renewable energy, said PM Wong.
In 2022, Singapore started importing renewable hydropower energy from Laos – one of Asia’s largest exporters of hydroelectricity – through Thailand and Malaysia, via existing interconnections.
PM Wong said that beyond developing a cross-country land grid, there was potential to achieve cross-border power trade through subsea cables.
“So that is one promising area which will help Laos as it grows its renewable energy industry, but also benefits Singapore,” he said. “But overall, it is a relationship that is mutually beneficial.” - The New Straits Times/ANN
