Speech by Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong at the Asean 2000 Business and Political Opportunities Conference organised by the Asia Society on Thursday, 7 September 2000, in New York - ASEAN-US RELATIONS: CHALLENGES

Your Excellency Fernando Henrique Cardoso

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great pleasure and privilege for my delegation and me to visit Brazil. I thank Your Excellency for the warm welcome and the generous hospitality extended to my delegation and me.

2 My visit here is to signal the importance which Singapore places in its relations with Brazil and the Latin American region. I sincerely hope that my visit will increase awareness of Singapore in Brazil and vice versa. While I am well aware of the geographical distance separating our two countries and the differences in size, history, language and culture, I do not think these present too much of a hindrance in furthering our ties. With globalisation, our world is becoming increasingly inter-dependent and borderless. I believe that we can build on complementarities to increase our bilateral interactions at all levels.

Your Excellency

3 I remember well our last meeting in New York in June 1997. Then, Singapore and Brazil, together with South Africa and Germany, launched a special UN initiative on the environment and sustainable development. This initiative shows that both our countries share common perceptions on many key international economic and political issues. We are both committed to multilateral economic liberalisation. Sustainable development is also a concept which both our countries are actively working to promote.

4 Bilaterally, Singapore and Brazil also enjoy friendly relations. Our ties date back to 1967 when we established diplomatic relations. I am glad that in recent years, bilateral contacts have increased with frequent visits by our Ministers, officials, and businessmen. I am also pleased that our economic relations have been progressing at a steady pace. Bilateral trade has increased. Singapore has been sending trade missions to Brazil since 1986 because we see opportunities in Brazil.

5 Brazil conjures up images of the samba and the bossanova. While these capture Brazil's zest and spirit, we all know that Brazil is much more than this. It is a land of vast resources and the home of a vast economy. Its lush rainforests are world famous. I am told that the name Brazil stems from the reddish colour of an indigenous dyewood resembling a live coal, or braza, which for many years, was the country's principal export. Today, Brazil is a more diversified economy.

6 Just recently, a dark cloud descended upon our respective regions. The financial crisis in Southeast Asia reached Latin America. This shows how connected we are. East Asia has since recovered. In Latin America, I applaud Your Excellency's efforts and leadership role in containing the currency crisis successfully.

7 There is potential to increase the collaboration between our two regions. Latin America has been hailed as the next region of growth. We in Asia would like to build bridges between our regions. I had proposed the East Asia-Latin America Forum or EALAF in 1998 for this purpose. I am pleased that EALAF has got off to a good start. It will hold its first meeting at the Foreign Ministers' level in April next year.

Your Excellency

8 I hope my visit to Brazil will herald a new chapter in our bilateral relations. I hope many Singaporeans will come and see for themselves the opportunities that your country and the region offer. We will bring back to Singapore our experiences and we will encourage more people-to-people contact.

Excellencies

Ladies and Gentlemen

9 It now gives me great pleasure to invite you to rise and join me in a toast to His Excellency President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, and to the peace and prosperity of the people of Brazil.