QUESTION
Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs with the United States and India upgrading ties with ASEAN to comprehensive strategic partnerships level (a) what is the expected economic impact for Singapore; and (b) what are the specific areas of deepened collaboration expected between Singapore and the two countries respectively.
REPLY
1 The establishment of the ASEAN-India and the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships (CSPs) were sought by both Dialogue Partners, and will build on their longstanding and multi-faceted relations with ASEAN to deliver more meaningful, substantive, and mutually beneficial cooperation. Singapore welcomed both CSPs, especially the contributions by both India and the US towards an open, inclusive, peaceful, stable and prosperous region.
2 Singapore and ASEAN will benefit economically from the CSPs. With India, ASEAN will commence reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to make it more user-friendly, simple, and trade-facilitative to facilitate stronger trade and investment flows. With the US, ASEAN will benefit from new initiatives, such as the ASEAN-US Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Initiative and the ASEAN-US Platform for Infrastructure and Connectivity. ASEAN and the US will further cooperation in the ASEAN Smart Cities Network and strengthen ASEAN’s public health infrastructure through the ASEAN-US Health Futures Initiative.
3 Through these CSPs, Singapore can deepen collaboration with India in important areas such as regional connectivity, cybersecurity, and the digital economy to benefit our businesses and people. For the US, we hope to work together to support ASEAN’s clean energy transition, strengthen the region’s energy security and grid resilience, and establish low-carbon energy solutions and green energy infrastructure.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
28 NOVEMBER 2022