MFA Press Statement: Introductory Visit by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan to New Zealand, 3 to 5 April 2017

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan with New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English, 3 April 2017. [Photo credit: MFA]

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan meeting with New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully, 4 April 2017. [Photo credit: MFA]

                Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan is in Wellington on his introductory visit to New Zealand.

                 Minister Balakrishnan called on New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English on 3 April 2017.  They reaffirmed the excellent bilateral relations between Singapore and New Zealand, and agreed that there was potential to do more in view of the complementarities between both countries.

                Minister Balakrishnan was hosted to lunch by his New Zealand counterpart Murray McCully on 4 April 2017.  Both Ministers jointly announced the launch of discussions towards a Singapore-New Zealand Enhanced Partnership (EP).  Under the EP, Singapore and New Zealand will work toward closer cooperation in four key areas: (i) trade and economics; (ii) defence and security; (iii) people-to-people; and (iv) science, research and innovation.  The Ministerial joint statement is attached.

                Minister Balakrishnan also met Minister of Finance and Infrastructure Steven Joyce, Minister of Health, Sport and Recreation Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Trade and State Owned Enterprises Todd McClay, and was hosted to dinner by Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson.  Minister Balakrishnan also met Labour Party Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs David Parker. 

                Minister Balakrishnan will visit Auckland on 5 April 2017, where he will be hosted to lunch by Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff and meet the Auckland City Council for a briefing on Auckland’s smart city initiatives. 

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

4 APRIL 2017

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Joint Statement

Minister Murray McCully and Minister Vivian Balakrishnan

Tuesday 4 April, Wellington, New Zealand

“New Zealand and Singapore to forge closer ties”

                New Zealand and Singapore are to pursue an Enhanced Partnership that will significantly boost collaboration between the two countries, their Foreign Ministers, Hon Murray McCully, and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, announced today.

                The two Ministers, who met in Wellington today, said the Enhanced Partnership would deepen cooperation in the areas of trade and economics, security and defence, people-to-people links and research, technology and innovation, and in ways that would set an example of integration in the Asia-Pacific region.

                In the trade and economic area, the two countries will upgrade the Closer Economic Partnership (CEP). Total two-way annual goods trade between New Zealand and Singapore currently sits at $NZ 2.5 billion, with significant tourism, other services, trade and investment adding value for both countries. The way that business is done and the opportunities to trade have changed since the bilateral trade agreement - New Zealand's second, and Singapore’s first - was originally signed in 2000.  Both countries will also seek ways to facilitate business linkages and promote increased investment collaboration, including for Small and Medium Enterprises.

                Food will be a particular focus, with proposals to facilitate the movement of food between both countries in order to firmly establish Singapore’s position as a gateway for New Zealand’s exports to South East Asia. Agri-food trade between New Zealand and Singapore is already valued at more than $600 million a year.

                New Zealand and Singapore will build on the Defence Cooperation Arrangement signed in 2009, and identify opportunities to collaborate further on defence and security. New Zealand and Singapore have a close and longstanding defence relationship, which stretches back to World War Two when New Zealand troops helped defend Singapore. Both countries’ armed forces train and operate together regularly, including under the Five Power Defence Arrangements, the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, and peace support operations. Given the changing security landscape, New Zealand and Singapore will also work towards closer cooperation in non-traditional areas such as cybersecurity.

                Stronger people to people connections will be pursued through new opportunities in education, tourism, and arts and culture.

                The Enhanced Partnership will also seek to stimulate more engagement in the areas of research, technology and innovation, where both countries are already realising their potential as outward-facing developed economies. Both countries will look to learn from each other in emerging areas such as smart cities, food technology, and environment and water management.

                In launching the Enhanced Partnership discussions, the Foreign Ministers acknowledged the broad, long-standing connections already shared between New Zealand and Singapore, and expressed a strong commitment to improving their breadth and quality.