Multilateralism will need to evolve to become more ‘flexible', says PM Wong at WEF

Straits Times

3 days ago

PM Lawrence Wong (left) and WEF President Borge Brende attending a session of the WEF Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China on June 25. PHOTO: AFP
Multilateralism will need to evolve to become more 'flexible', says PM Wong at WEF
TIANJIN – With global rules weakening and economic nationalism on the rise, Singapore is proposing a workaround of getting like-minded countries to cooperate on specific issues, while leaving the door open for others to join in future.
'This is what we would call a flexible multilateralism,' Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said during the question-and-answer segment of a World Economic Forum (WEF) event on June 25 in Tianjin.
'It is not about an ad-hoc array of different rules but starting first laying the building blocks, and eventually others can join, and we can steer progress in the right direction.'
PM Wong added: 'Whatever we do, it is open, it is inclusive. Others may not be ready to join, but in time to come, they can join and we can multilateralise these efforts.'
He called for countries to find ways to evolve the multilateralism system, rather than abandon it altogether.
The American-led post-war global order which had allowed for free trade and prosperity for countries big and small has come under threat with the US imposition of high tariffs on goods from much of the world, especially from China.
The United States has imposed a 10 per cent tariff on Singapore, even though it has a Free Trade Agreement and a trade surplus with the Republic.
'For small countries like Singapore, we are worried because we have limited options, we have limited bargaining power, and we risk being marginalised,' said Mr Wong in his opening remarks during the dialogue.
He said bigger countries will also find it hard to deal and operate in the new environment, because it will be harder for the world to address common threats, such as pandemics, climate change or financial shocks.
In response, Singapore will still strive to bring people together, promote integration, bring down barriers and strengthen multilateralism, he said.
Mr Wong said he hoped to see a kind of 'multilateralism that is more resilient, more inclusive and better suited to the realities of our time', adding that Singapore will do its part in this endeavour.
'The efforts may seem small and incremental, but if like-minded countries everywhere were to do our part, then collectively, I think we can make a difference, and then step by step, hopefully we can lay the groundwork for a new and more stable global order in time to come,' he said.
During the question-and-answer segment with WEF president Borge Brende, Mr Wong cited an example of what Singapore has done to this end.
During the question-and-answer segment with WEF president Borge Brende, Mr Wong cited an example of what Singapore has done to this end.
PHOTO: AFP
Singapore, together with Japan and Australia, had pushed for a joint initiative at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on e-commerce. After five years of negotiations, more than 70 countries have joined this initiative, which serves as the building block for the first set of global rules on digital trade.
'It is painstaking work, but there is no alternative. A new system does not just appear by magic. You have to work at it and with creative, pragmatic solutions, bringing along like-minded countries,' he said.
When asked to comment on how Singapore balances its ties between the US and China, Mr Wong said Singapore has 'broad and substantial' ties with both of them.
'I know everyone monitors and tracks what we say and what we do very closely. Trying to parse every hidden meaning behind every word, behind every action, whether we are moving closer to one or the other. But that is not how we look at things,' he said.
Singapore's starting point, Mr Wong explained, is to look at how it advances its own national interest.
'Our interests are to have close, good relations on substance with both America and China, and we will continue to do whatever we need to do to promote and advance Singapore's interest ,' Mr Wong said.
'It is not about balancing between the two superpowers, but it is about being consistent and principled in advancing and promoting Singapore's interests, and that is what we will continue to do.'
Yew Lun Tian is a senior foreign correspondent who covers China for The Straits Times.
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