Speech by President Halimah Yacob at Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2021 Opening Plenary

Source: Istana (correct as at 1215 hrs, 20 April 2021) 

Your Excellency President Xi Jinping

Vice President Wang Qishan

Fellow Leaders

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

I am pleased to join you at this year’s Annual Conference, as the Boao Forum for Asia celebrates its 20th anniversary. This year’s Conference focuses on strengthening global governance amid a world in flux – which is both timely and pressing.

For over a year now, the world has been contending with COVID-19. In addition to the loss of lives and livelihoods, the pandemic has exacerbated ongoing challenges to globalisation and the multilateral order. There has been stronger pushback against free trade, increased bifurcation of technology, disruptions to global supply chains, and rising socioeconomic inequality. Tensions on the global stage have also been brought to the fore.

But every dark cloud has a silver lining.  Although this journey has been difficult, the pandemic has also catalysed opportunities for growth. One instance is the acceleration of digitalisation efforts of many countries, advancing the ongoing digital revolution.

Above all, COVID-19 has given the world a common cause to band together. International cooperation is crucial in surmounting this crisis. Exchanges have continued, with the world adapting to hybrid modes of engagement. Countries have worked together to restore supply chain connectivity, and further advanced free trade. Singapore and our partners issued a Joint Ministerial Statement to maintain supply chain connectivity amid the pandemic. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest free trade agreement, was signed between ASEAN Member States, Australia, China, Japan, the ROK and New Zealand last November. Singapore ratified the RCEP on 9 April, and is the first country to do so.

Over the past year, the international community has developed unprecedented and innovative forms of multilateral cooperation, including the establishment of the WHO-led Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator and the COVID-19 Global Vaccines Access (COVAX) Facility. Singapore was an early supporter of the COVAX Facility and has contributed to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, which supports low and lower-middle income countries’ access to COVID-19 vaccines. More can be done to achieve better global governance and stronger international cooperation. Another example is the safe reopening of borders, a necessary condition for the recovery of the global economy. Even as bilateral efforts in this regard are underway, we should consider how multilateral institutions, including the WHO, can play a role in setting robust standards and providing a science-based framework to guide the safe reopening of borders.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a defining challenge of our time, but it will not be the last. Long-term transboundary threats remain, including climate change and terrorism. I hope that the international community will be able to learn the lesson that this pandemic has given us – that global governance is ultimately in our common interest – and come to a renewed consensus on the advancement of an open, inclusive and rules-based multilateral system that is fit for purpose in a post-COVID-19 world. This will put us in good stead to tackle the challenges ahead, and forge a brighter future for our people.

Thank you.

[翻译：

新加坡总统哈莉玛于2021年4月20日
在2021年博鳌亚洲论坛开幕式上的演讲

尊敬的习近平主席阁下
王岐山副主席
尊敬的各位领导人
各位来宾
女士们、先生们：

大家好！我很高兴能在博鳌亚洲论坛成立20周年之际，参与这次年会。今年的论坛将探讨如何在瞬息万变的世界中加强全球治理。这是急需解决的问题，因此这次的讨论十分切合时宜。

这一年多来，全球各地都忙于对抗2019冠状病毒疾病。疫情不仅让许多人失去生命和生计，更加剧了全球化和多边秩序所面对的挑战。同时，反对自由贸易的声浪提高了、科技领域两极化的现象越发严重、全球供应链受到扰乱，社会和经济不平等也加剧了。国际舞台上出现的紧张局势也引起各方关注。

尽管我们一路走来十分艰难，疫情也带来了新的发展机遇。例如，许多国家加快了数码化的步伐，进一步推动了数码革命。

最重要的是，对抗冠病让世界各国团结起来，而国际合作是克服这场危机的关键。疫情没有打断各国之间的交流，人们也习惯了通过线上线下混合型活动彼此互动。世界各国也携手恢复供应链的运作和促进自由贸易。新加坡与伙伴国发布了联合声明，承诺在疫情期间保持供应链畅通。《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》是全球最大规模的自贸协定，由亚细安成员国、澳大利亚、中国、日本、韩国和新西兰于去年11月签署。新加坡更在4月9日成为首个完成该协定正式核准程序的国家。

过去一年，国际社会也以各种前所未有和创新的方式展开多边合作。这包括由世卫组织主导的“获取冠病防疫工具加速计划”，以及“冠病疫苗全球获取机制”。新加坡在初期就支持“冠病疫苗全球获取机制”，并为机制的预先市场承诺投入资金，帮助中低收入国家获取冠病疫苗。但在完善全球治理和加强国际合作方面，各国可以做得更多。另一个例子是如何安全重开边境，因为这是全球经济复苏的必要条件。虽然一些国家已就此展开双边合作，我们也应该探讨如何让世卫组织等多边机构扮演适当的角色，比如制定一套健全的标准和以科学为依据的框架，为如何安全开放边境提供指导。

冠病疫情是深刻影响我们这一代人的挑战，但未来还会有更多这样的挑战。我们依然面对长期的跨境威胁，如气候变化和恐怖主义。我希望国际社会能够从对抗冠病的经历中意识到，加强全球治理符合我们的共同利益， 并且重新达成共识，打造一个开放、包容，并以规则为基础以及符合后冠病时代需求的多边体系。这将有助我们应付未来的挑战，为我们的人民打造更美好的未来。

谢谢！]

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