Committee of Supply – Head N (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

The Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore from 1992 to 1996 once shared that when he was assigned to Singapore, he was told that he was going to a country where he was going to work among friends and that his mission was to further improve the existing relationships for the benefit of both countries. He also revealed that the Indonesian Chancery in Singapore is the biggest mission in the world for Indonesia – a sign of the importance placed on Singapore as well as the role that Singapore plays as a confluence of relations with other countries.

Dato' N Parameswaran was High Commissioner of Malaysia to Singapore from 2003 to 2008 at the height of some of the testiest relations between both countries since Separation. He referred to his period of service as being his toughest diplomatic assignment, but cherished the people of goodwill on both sides of the Causeway who were keen to see better relations between Malaysia and Singapore.

Indonesia and Malaysia are our closest neighbours in the region and we share much of our recent history. The past, however, was not always pleasant, from Konfrontasi to Separation, and to some of the hangovers from the 1960s.

Yet, in the last 50 years, relations between Singapore and our two neighbours have progressed rapidly. This is perhaps testament to the importance of personal contact and

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camaraderie between leaders from both sides, something which Dato' N Parameswaran summarised in the Malay idiom, "Tak kenal maka tak cinta", I do not love what I do not know.

Building the personal ties and having the personal touch make a difference in diplomacy. We have made good progress with relations with Malaysia: the railway land issue, Pedra Branca, overflights, for example. With Indonesia, our ties may have been fraught due to Konfrontasi, but since Indonesia recognised Singapore in 1966, we have also progressed by leaps and bounds. Singapore remains Indonesia's biggest foreign investor in 2014.

Singapore also continues to play our part as a good neighbour. With recent incidents, such as the Asian Tsunami, the Bali bombings, MH370, as well as the most recent 2014 Malaysian floods, the relationships are not without road bumps, however. From time to time, Singapore was still a convenient bogeyman. Recent accusations of Singapore stalling on the development of the Mass Rapid Transit Link, of being too much of a complainer of the haze, the naming of the KRI Usman Harun, are just some examples to show that foreign relations are often a careful balancing act.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew wrote in his memoirs of the abang-adik relationship, but he emphasised very strongly that when non-vital interests were at stake, Singapore is prepared to humour those who see themselves as our abang, or elder brother. But not when the adik has legitimate interests to defend.

As we mark 50 years of our relationship with Malaysia and 49 years with Indonesia, we have come a long way. While we treasure and should maintain good relations, there will be challenges. How we keep on an even keel and continue building on the strong bilateral ties between our two neighbours will have implications, not just for us but for the wider region as well.

As Mr Sitoh Yih Pin has mentioned, we are a small state. But although we may be a small state, we have to build an equal and mutually beneficial relationship on the world stage with our neighbours and other regions as well.

Therefore, I would like to seek the Ministry's update on the progress of our relationship with our two biggest neighbours and how we can continue to maintain mutually beneficial relationships with one another.

Madam, ASEAN, formed in 1967, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in two years. It has played a significant role in promoting the habit of

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cooperation among its member countries and developing a common strategic outlook, especially in the earlier decades, with the original ASEAN 5.

Strengthening ASEAN was a top priority for the ASEAN leaders in their underlying drive to build a level of strategic stability and power balance in the region. They overcame their differences to ensure regional stability and prosperity.

Since the grouping's expansion to 10 countries, however, there have been concerns whether ASEAN could be as united, given the diverse levels of development and strategic outlooks. In recent years, some countries were also distracted by internal political problems and leadership changes, while others were caught up with rising tensions over the competing territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Hence, there were doubts expressed in some quarters if ASEAN could focus on its integration agenda, maintain its centrality in the region and fulfil its dream of establishing an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by the end of this year.

Unless there is political will among ASEAN leaders to put ASEAN as their top priority, I am worried about its future as bigger powers seek to exert their influence over this region.

The AEC is an important project, not only in terms of the economic benefits, but also from the strategic point of view. Closer economic integration within ASEAN will not only raise living standards but also contribute towards greater regional stability and resilience.

ASEAN countries can leverage on the bigger market of 600 million people to attract international investments and power global growth, thereby strengthening the grouping's bargaining position in dealing with the international community.

The AEC can also narrow the income gaps that remain between the original ASEAN members and the new, through building a more deeply integrated ASEAN economy nested into global markets.

Viewed from these angles, the AEC project is very important not only for the growth of ASEAN, but also for managing economic and geopolitical uncertainties. These are major issues. However, I am not sure if many people in the region, not even in Singapore, understand what the AEC is about or how it benefits or impacts them. It is important for Singapore to also do its part to explain to the people and businesses, so that they can buy into this important project and not view it as just another pronouncement from ASEAN, nothing to do with them.

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Madam, I wish to ask the Minister the following questions: What is the state of ASEAN today? How is Singapore's relationship with the member countries, especially with Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos? Can the Minister give an update on ASEAN's community building and integration efforts? Is Singapore ready for AEC and how does it plan to plug into it? How does AEC benefit Singaporeans and what will it mean for them in terms of jobs and opportunities? And finally, what are ASEAN's future plans once the AEC is established in 2015?

Madam, 2015 is a landmark year for ASEAN and in particular, progress towards creating an ASEAN Community under the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) blueprint. In the blueprint, ASEAN nations and peoples are supposed to develop a common identity and build a caring and sharing society.

I first raised the topic of the ASCC four years ago during the 2011 Committee of Supply (COS) debate. During that debate, then Foreign Minister George Yeo indicated that this year, 2015, was to be an administrative red line drawn across all the plans for ASEAN integration – political, economic and socio-cultural. Specifically on the ASCC, Mr Yeo had indicated a hope that "the importance of ASEAN would be more deeply felt by our citizens, especially the young, and we need a multi-pronged approach, including lessons about ASEAN in schools, sports and cultural activities and greater use of ASEAN symbols. In addition, Mr Yeo highlighted the flying of the ASEAN flag alongside the national flag at overseas diplomatic missions of ASEAN members, and possible campaigning for ASEAN to host the FIFA World Cup in 2030.

I would like to ask what progress Singapore has made on these fronts since 2011. Will the Ministry also indicate what other moves are in place for Singapore and ASEAN countries to more fully realise the vision laid out in the ASCC blueprint and to address the recommendations made in the 2014 mid-term review of the ASCC blueprint?

Madam, Singapore's relationships with its neighbours are broad and multifaceted and the majority of the engagements seem to hover around high-level exchanges between leader-to-leader, government-to-government and military-to-military.

There was some discussion in the previous debates about the role of cultural diplomacy. In February 2014, a question was raised about promoting Singapore's cultural and creative assets as part of Singapore's cultural diplomacy to extend soft power – which we had just

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heard a while ago – and influence overseas.

Perhaps, with SG50, we will need to take stock of how well we have done on these fronts and to map out a strategy which features cultural diplomacy as a platform for Singapore's public diplomacy.

I would like to ask: does Singapore have a cultural diplomacy strategy that is integrated with our overall foreign policy, economic development and takes full advantage of the public-people-private sectors? Cultural diplomacy can help to create a foundation of trust and shared interests with citizens of countries. It can create enduring relationships with foreign societies beyond changes in governments.

Cultural diplomacy must focus on a wider society-facing remit to embrace neutral platforms for people-to-people contact which will serve as a flexible vehicle for rapprochement with countries where diplomatic relations have been strained or are absent. This is our best insurance against misunderstanding, hatred and terrorism targeted at our small city state and our values.

At the core of cultural diplomacy is diplomatic talent. Public and cultural diplomacy can be skilfully executed only if officers are willing to spend sufficient time overseas. MFA should actively recruit young people with the requisite language skills into the diplomatic service and who are prepared to invest in understanding foreign cultures.

I would like to mention the British Council, the Goethe Institute and the Berlin Institute for Cultural Diplomacy as examples of cultural diplomacy institutes that have been very effective. The Berlin Institute for Cultural Diplomacy is Europe's largest independent cultural exchange organisation which hosts programmes that facilitate interaction among individuals of all cultural, academic and professional backgrounds from across the world.

I would like to give two specific suggestions for cultural diplomacy.

First, expanding the scale of cultural exchanges among our youths. As youths are the future of our countries, it is essential for the next generation of Singaporeans to have opportunities to start engaging and interacting with their regional counterparts from young. The National Youth Council has been at the forefront championing these youth exchanges for a while and I would like to argue that these engagements should be expanded so that more youths can benefit from them. The exposure and engagement will help young Singaporeans and our neighbours to forge vital friendships and appreciate the dynamics of our regional environment.

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Second, understanding our shared history and heritage. Singapore shares a long and rich history and heritage with the region. As findings from recent archaeological excavations would reveal, Singapore has a rich history as a thriving maritime port in the Malay Archipelago dating back more than 700 years. It would be useful for our agencies to work with their regional counterparts to showcase the connectedness of the region before European imperialism carved out the region into different parts. This form of historical consciousness would help all of us to better appreciate a widely known yet not so well understood part of our shared history.

With the above initiatives in place and greater attention paid to people-to-people engagement, the mutual trust and understanding forged between the people of Singapore and our neighbouring countries would go a long way in ensuring peace and stability. We will have a good chance of building a strong regional community.

Madam, Singapore thrives as a trading and financial hub for our region. As such, regional stability has always been vital for our continued growth and prosperity. Scholarly studies by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies have mentioned that there may not be much that ASEAN can do to bring about peace between the two major powers. But it is also arguing that it is vital for ASEAN to stand united, be resolute in preventing major power rivalry from spreading into our region.

Relationships between and among major powers, such as the US, China and Japan, have an impact on regional stability. But the deep distrust has been undermining relationships. The Sino-Japanese conflict over their interpretation of World War II history, along with territorial disputes, further complicates matters. China has, in recent times, demonstrated a greater assertiveness over its displeasure towards Japan. It has even taken steps to organise a high-profile parade this year to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Leaders of major countries involved in the war would be invited, along with other countries in the region, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement recently. President Xi Jinping is overseeing the event, including the military parade, a reception and an evening gala dinner.

I also note the US Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke at an event in Washington recently on an upcoming meeting of the Foreign Ministers of China, Japan and Korea. She pointed out that lashing out at each other is not only going to fuel nationalism. I quote the senior US diplomat: "It is not hard for a political leader anywhere to earn cheap applause by vilifying a former enemy. But such provocations produce paralysis, not

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progress."

The territorial disputes in the South China Sea are still open sores which have not healed. The US has expressed its commitment to take on a greater interest and presence in the region. President Barack Obama has reassured his Asia Pacific allies about Washington's strategic shift towards the region as he sends a strong message to a rising China with a vow to "deepen our engagement using every element of our power" in his policy speech during his visit to Australia last November.

In view of all these events, what is MFA's assessment of the state of Sino-US and Sino-Japan relationships? What effect will they have on the regional stability in ASEAN? How cohesive is ASEAN's stand on the issue of China's territorial claims? We are also in a unique position where we are able to adopt a more objective, neutral and fairer attitude towards this matter. We have good bilateral relations with all countries and we are not a claimant state. We have had the honour of participating and even hosting several regional dialogues and summits. What other roles can Singapore play in ensuring a regional architecture that is conducive for peace, stability and growth?

Madam, the US and China are the world's two largest economies. They are also very important partners for Singapore.

The relationship between Singapore and the US is a close, broad-based and long-standing one. Singapore continues to enjoy robust economic, defence as well as political ties with the US. For instance, the US is our largest foreign direct investor. The US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was also the first FTA that the US signed with any Asian country.

Singapore also enjoys strong and substantive relations with China, ranging from economic to people-to-people ties. For instance, China is Singapore's largest trading partner. We have established two government-to-government projects in China – the Suzhou Industrial Park and the Tianjin Eco-City. The year 2015 is also significant for bilateral ties – it is the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China.

In this context, what is MFA's assessment of the state of Singapore's relations with China and the US respectively? How can Singapore grow these two relationships further?

The US-China bilateral relationship is often regarded as the most important bilateral relationship in the world. Even slight changes in the balance of this relationship will have deeper ramifications for us. Singapore, as a small country, seeks to maintain its relevance to

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both powers. But while MFA has always stressed Singapore's neutrality, it is not always possible to be perceived as neutral.

What can MFA do to reinforce the sense of neutrality of Singapore's position?

At this juncture, I would like to thank and commend MFA for always quietly working in the background and doing the important but unglamorous work of advancing Singapore's strategic interests. One such important initiative is the annual Shangri-La Dialogue.

The 2014 Shanghai-La Dialogue gave an illuminating insight into the state of US-China-Japan relations. Important speeches were made by Mr Hagel, Mr Abe and General Wang during the dialogues. In light of Singapore's status as a trading and financial hub, the relations between and amongst major powers in the region would have an impact on Singapore's continued growth and prosperity.

In this context, what is MFA's assessment of the state of major power relations and the effects on Singapore and the region?

Madam, on the South China Sea, more than a year ago, the Philippines decided to take China to the tribunal under the auspices of the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea. The Chinese refused to take part in the proceedings, insisting instead on a bilateral approach to settle the dispute over a vast, oil-rich area. Since then, Vietnam has said that it would not rule out taking China to the tribunal as well, following China's move of its largest oil rig into the waters contested by both. What is the Ministry's response to the situation?

On North-East Asia, despite strong concerns voiced by China and South Korea, Japanese Prime Minister Abe led his government to approve a re-interpretation of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution to give more powers to its Self-Defence Forces. In Japan, there are voices that oppose his move as the change is deemed illegitimate. What is the Ministry's stand on this? Is this an indication that despite Japanese Prime Minister Abe's meeting with China's President Xi Jinping after the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) where both sides sought to prevent the tension between the two countries from worsening, the

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Northeast Asian tension remains tense as before?

On another note, ISIS has threatened to attack Taiwan 101 after its recent execution of a Japanese reporter which was blamed on the Japanese government's refusal to give in to its demands. Does this indicate that the ISIS threat will add even more tension to Northeast Asia or will it encourage a more collaborative approach to a common enemy?

Mdm Chair, recent years have seen an escalation of tension over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. China has been increasingly assertive in its claims to islands that are hundreds of miles from its own borders but within the Exclusive Economic Zones of our ASEAN neighbours – Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. China also claims waters within its self-declared "nine-dash line" demarcation which envelops almost the entire South China Sea. To assert its claims, China has been building airstrips and facilities and reclaiming land on and around these features. As The Economist put it: "The extent and speed of China's building boom on the disputed islands flout the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties that signed in 2002 with ASEAN."

Singapore is not a claimant to any of these disputes and has maintained that these disputes can only be settled by the parties directly concerned. I appreciate that Singapore seeks to build friendly relations with all countries, including China. However, I am concerned that China's extensive and robust territorial claims may, now or in the future, infringe on freedom of navigation and overflight for vessels and planes travelling to and from Singapore. This could impact our trade with the world, which is vital, and also our security.

The Minister has said before in Parliament that only a united ASEAN can credibly play a central role in engaging major powers towards the common goal of promoting regional peace, stability and prosperity. I would, therefore, like to ask: should the actions of China in the South China Sea infringe on the freedom of navigation and overflight for ASEAN members, including Singapore, what will Singapore do on its own, as well as in solidarity with ASEAN, to respond and protect our interests?

Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah): Mdm Chair, over the years, Singapore has built up and maintained very good relations with key regional partners, such as Japan and the Republic of Korea. For example, Singapore and Japan share many common interests on regional and international issues, including the security situation in the Asia Pacific region. Singapore and the Republic of Korea also enjoy broad and deep ties anchored on strong

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economic cooperation.

This year also marks the 40th year of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the Republic of Korea. I would like to seek an update from MFA on the state of Singapore's relations with Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Going down south to Australia, 2015 is also the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Australia. Australia was among the first countries to recognise Singapore's Independence in 1965. For the past 50 years, Singapore and Australia enjoy warm and substantive ties in a wide range of areas, such as trade, investment, defence, education and environment. The two countries signed FTA that comes into force in July 2003. I would like to seek an update on Singapore-Australia relations and how the relationship can be further strengthened.

Madam, Singapore and India have traditionally had good bilateral ties and fostered partnerships in trade, defence and scientific research. Recent developments and collaboration between Singapore and India have been positive and show promise of greater things to come. One example is the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in December 2014 to prepare the master plan for and develop the new capital city in South India's Andhra Pradesh.

Would MFA provide an update on Singapore-India relations and what are some future plans that Singaporeans can look forward to, specifically in terms of business, employment and skills training opportunities?

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): Thank you, Chairman. The situation in the Middle East is dynamic and extremely volatile, changing even up to many times in 24 hours. It represents a complex and intricate network, with even new political systems emerging.

The long-drawn Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process continues, or perhaps a better description is the multiple long periods of "stand-still". The Iranian Nuclear programme is still looming in the background, despite multiple high-level checks conducted over the years. The Al Qaeda threat continues to simmer, whilst the Arab Spring series of protests leads to serious destruction and humanitarian crises. The latest rapidly progressive situation being

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the ISIS situation. With its widespread network and savvy new media and social media presence and tactics, it appears to be gaining extreme traction worldwide.

Can I have an update on the region and, in particular, the threat posed by the enlarging ISIS network? How is Singapore monitoring our students and business personnel who live or travel to the region?

The EU has been a long-term partner of Singapore's on many fronts .Trade has been one of the major areas of collaboration. Central to the relationship is that it will provide prosperity and security to our people and for us to also rethink and review the balance of national interests.

New collaborations in the areas of cyber and maritime security, humanitarian and disaster relief, as well as the global challenge of addressing extremism are also on the cards. President Tony Tan's recent high-level visit to the UK also reinforced some of our bilateral and multilateral collaborations and groupings.

Can the Minister give us a brief update on Singapore's relations with Europe as we are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations? How does the EU fare in the area of trade diplomacy with Singapore and Asia in the larger context?

Singapore, being a small country with a lack of natural resources, is always looking at greater partnerships and engaging emerging and new markets globally, for alternative resources and alternative sites. This also helps in nurturing bilateral and multilateral relationships between us and the leaders of the next generation in these countries. Of late, Singapore has launched more visits, engagements and partnerships, and even collaborations with countries in Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

Our bilateral trade quantum is also increasing with these parts of the world. Of particular interest, when engaging these emerging markets, would be the areas of renewable energy, green technology and also sustainable development.

Can the Ministry update us on further developments and collaborations, including perhaps new FTAs or memoranda of understanding (MOUs)? Can we also have an update on

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the European Union-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which was started to deepen economic, cultural and political cooperation? How about our Air Services Agreement with the five Latin American countries, namely, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay and Paraguay? What has been the quantum in the increase in people and trade traffic? With the evolving interest in these regions, is Singapore also planning more student and people-to-people exchanges?

Mdm Chair, many of us here in Singapore may not be very familiar with the goings-on nor the growing significance of the northern polar region. However, developments in the Arctic, thousands of miles away, can have profound impact on us here in Singapore.

The impact of climate change in the Arctic is attributed to extreme weather, such as the longer than usual dry spells and massive rainfall in Singapore. As ice caps are melting irreversibly, scientists predicted that the sea level is set to rise in Singapore by close to a metre by the end of the century. This will erode our coastal borders and land mass.

The development of the Arctic Shipping routes and some term it as the next "Silk Route" – is able to connect the Atlantic with the Pacific. Whilst the transpolar sea and the northwest passage posed navigational challenges due to thick multilayer ice, harsh weather and complex straits for now, the Arctic shipping routes, however, remain a real possibility. With melting ice sheets and better ships, such as the Double Acting ships and stronger ice breaker freighters, the opening of these sea routes would have profound impact on our trade, shipping and port industry.

What is the Ministry's political assessment of the developments in the Arctic? How can Singapore's role as a permanent observer in the Arctic Council help deepen its diplomatic ties with nations in the Arctic and further represent Singapore's interests?

Madam, I thank the hon Members for their comments.

I thank Mr Sitoh Yih Pin for his statement on our international strategy. He highlighted two key tenets of our foreign policy: one, the realities that small states must contend with; and, two, the importance of maintaining Singapore's relevance in the world.

At SG50, it is useful to restate the realities that have shaped our foreign policy: one, our small size – the lack of a hinterland and natural resources; two, our multiracial, multi-lingual society; and three, the evolving geo-political situation, featuring competition between major powers.

In this context, three imperatives have driven our foreign policy engagement since 1965. One, the need to protect our independence and territorial integrity; two, the need to maintain our relevance in the international system; and three, the need to assert our right to chart our own destiny as a sovereign nation.

It is useful to recall what our founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew said in 1966, and I quote, "A foreign policy for Singapore must be one as to encourage, first, the major powers in the world to find it – if not in their interests to help us – at least in their interests for us not to go worse"; and he added, "We must always offer to the rest of the world a continuing interest in the type of society we project".

That remains valid today.

At the 2009 S Rajaratnam Lecture, Mr Lee again said, and I quote, "Friendship, in international relations, is not a function of goodwill or personal affection. We must make ourselves relevant so that other countries have an interest in our continued survival and

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prosperity as a sovereign and independent nation. Singapore cannot take its relevance for granted."

Over the last 50 years, we have developed strong and sustainable partnerships at the bilateral, regional and international levels, created international space – economic, political and strategic – that we need to advance and defend our interests.

I agree with Mr Sitoh's observations on the uses of soft power to enhance our relevance in international relations. We have been doing so. He specifically suggested that we set up a secretariat to monitor this. I can assure him that in my Ministry, this is one of the key priorities from the Minister downwards.

Our relevance and soft power come from our success. No one will pay us attention if we are a failed state. So, we have to ensure that we are relevant internationally and we must remain exceptional. But we neither seek nor claim to be a model for others. But because of our success, people come to study our governance model and economic policies. We must also remember the support from our friends around the world who helped us to where we are today. We learn from others. For that, we should, where we can, give back to the international community what we can.

The Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP) is the primary platform through which we share our development experience. And over 80,000 public service officers from around the world have come to Singapore to study our programmes.

Our relevance in international relations is only, of course, a means to an end; it is not an end in itself. We need to be relevant so that others will engage and cooperate with us. That will allow us to work with others to advance our national interests and shape and strengthen the regional architecture. That is particularly crucial in ASEAN. We need a stable, peaceful and prosperous region for economic growth.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked about our role in ensuring a regional architecture that is conducive for peace, stability and growth. Specifically, Ms Irene Ng made a number of comments, as a sharp observer of international relations, a very nuanced observer. She asked about the state of ASEAN which is a very big question, ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and ASEAN's future plans after 2015. I will try and answer them as well as I can. Prof Tan Tai Yong asked about progress in ASEAN.

As Members will be aware, strengthening the regional architecture, with ASEAN at its core, has been a cornerstone of our foreign policy. We work closely with other ASEAN member states to preserve ASEAN Centrality. We try and keep the regional architecture

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open and inclusive. A strong and united ASEAN provides a framework to maintain peace and stability.

ASEAN creates a neutral platform for key stakeholders and major powers, in and outside the region, to engage in dialogue and to maintain peace and cooperate in various sectors.

We also work closely with our ASEAN neighbours to build and maintain a cohesive, prosperous region. Again, not an end in itself, but as a means to creating a better livelihood for all our people.

As part of the regional integration efforts, the ASEAN Community will be established by December 2015. A key focus is the AEC. Ms Irene Ng asked about the benefits of the AEC to Singapore. The AEC will integrate and transform ASEAN into a single regional market. It will mean a freer flow of goods, services, investments, skilled labour and capital within ASEAN.

There remain, however, issues to be sorted out. It is by no means something that is a clear and easy strait. There have been questions raised about the AEC possibly leading to job loss, whether our SMEs will be at disadvantage, whether foreigners will be privileged over Singaporeans.

There is some misperception here. Let us think about this. Singapore grew at an average of 3.6% over the last two years. Thirty percent of Singaporeans go to university every year. About 46% go to polytechnics and a substantial number of the rest go on to some form of tertiary education. Almost 100% of the cohort, we try and make them highly skilled with good education. We want to grow those skills even further. Our graduate population as a percentage – polytechnic population, the population with skills from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) as a percentage – are all increasing. But Singapore itself is a very small market. We need access to a larger market.

We have to be well-connected to the region to prosper and create jobs for our people. Look at ASEAN. It grew at about 5.3% annually in the recent past, outstripping Singapore's growth; some of the countries within ASEAN grow even faster. Taken together, the countries of ASEAN form the seventh largest economy in the world.

An integrated ASEAN will benefit every ASEAN member country, including Singapore. Every ASEAN country will benefit in its own way through the AEC. For us, the AEC provides our people and companies with greater opportunities across ASEAN. You look at it in terms of the individual, professionals, people with skills, people with qualifications from across different sectors – ITE, polytechnic, university – will have a broader market. If you look at

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our companies, likewise, they will have a broader market.

Let us put it another way, look at MNCs. All those people working in MNCs in Singapore, their jobs are dependent on the MNCs being able to export out of Singapore. Singapore itself is not enough of a market. So, the greater the market, the more the benefits for a highly-educated, highly-skilled population that exists in Singapore.

And we enjoy a unique position within ASEAN. We are a centre for capital. We have a safe, stable and secure environment that is conducive for business. There is rule of law. Singapore can become the New York of ASEAN. Our choice is to be plugged into the AEC and benefit from it, or erect walls and prevent our companies and our people from reaping the benefits of integration. Are we better off with only our small domestic market or do we want to be part of the seventh largest economy in the world? As a centre of the seventh largest economy of the world!

ASEAN has signed eight Mutual Recognition Agreements. These agreements facilitate the movement of skilled labour in the following professions: accountancy, architecture, dentistry, engineering, medicine, nursing, quantity -surveying and tourism. But those who seek jobs must meet domestic regulations and standards set by the national professional bodies. The risk for us is not that the AEC will come into full force; actually, it is the reverse, that there will be various hurdles set up by the different countries or their national bodies that prevent our people from fully benefiting from this integration. Integration has got to benefit everyone.

Madam, the integration and community-building efforts cannot stop on 31 December 2015. We are looking beyond 2015. We are working with our neighbours to develop the Post-2015 Vision for the ASEAN Community. That is expected to be ready at the end of the year under Malaysia's chairmanship.

We need to continue to promote a greater understanding of ASEAN to our people, especially the young, on how ASEAN can be more meaningful to them.

Over the years, ASEAN has cooperated to improve the quality of life of its people. We adopted the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) blueprint. That blueprint aims to build a people-centred and socially responsible ASEAN Community. Ms Sylvia Lim had a number of questions on that.

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At the ASEAN level, the ASCC addresses the following broad areas for cooperation: human development, social welfare and protection, social justice and rights, ensuring environmental sustainability, building the ASEAN identity and narrowing the development gap. There are about 339 action lines in the ASCC blueprint. They are being implemented through various activities undertaken by the ASCC sectoral bodies. The ASEAN Secretariat tracks implementation of the ASCC blueprint. Unlike the AEC with tangible targets, the 339 action lines in the ASCC blueprint seek to achieve aspirational and qualitative objectives. For example, the promotion of a sense of community among ASEAN citizen; there are specific items identified as action items, but the ultimate objective is aspirational.

Specific to what we do, in the context of young people and the youths of ASEAN, there have been a number of activities that have been undertaken: ASEAN+3 Youth Caucus, ASEAN Professional Youth Volunteer Corps, ASEAN Youth Humanitarian Seminar. Given the various levels of economic development, different ASEAN member states would naturally have different development implementation priorities. For example, some ASEAN member states focus on education and healthcare, whilst others focus on security.

Singapore has actively participated in and supported the activities that focus on youths, for example, the ASEAN Youth Competition on Arts and Human Rights held in 2014 which aimed to raise awareness of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration amongst the youths in ASEAN. We have given all of these activities publicity, both on the MFA website and I have put it on my Facebook page. For those Members who are interested in what foreign affairs does, they can follow me on Facebook.

As regards FIFA and 2030, ASEAN has directed the Youth Ministers to go and study the possibility of hosting the World Cup in 2030. It is a complex undertaking. It is still being studied because, not least, you need to coordinate the 10 countries and see how the events can be held across 10 countries. So, that is being studied.

We will continue, together with the other ASEAN countries, to look at how we can bring across this concept to ASEAN, to the individual on the street and the young people. And at the Foreign Ministry level, our Ambassadors-at-Large have been supportive of youth initiatives in order to raise awareness of ASEAN. For example, the Singapore Polytechnic Annual Youth Model ASEAN Conference.

Prof Tan Tai Yong spoke about the need for exchanges within ASEAN. I agree with him that there is a need for these exchanges to go beyond the political and institutional level. There is a need for closer engagement to extend also to the people-to-people level.

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In December, we will host the Eighth ASEAN Para Games for the first time. We will welcome over 1,000 athletes with disabilities. The Games will serve as a platform to enhance inclusiveness and promote ASEAN solidarity.

Under the ASCC blueprint, we will explore concrete initiatives to strengthen people-to-people linkages and promote understanding of ASEAN. And, of course, we will work closely with our ASEAN colleagues and Dialogue Partners.

Mr Alex Yam has sought an update on Singapore-Malaysia ties. He has also asked about our relations with Indonesia under the new administration.

Madam, our relations with both our immediate neighbours are stable and good. Relations with Malaysia have made steady progress over the years. Our Prime Minister and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak have had many good meetings.

They have made good progress on many fronts. The Next Leaders Retreat will be in Singapore on 5 May. Malaysia and Singapore are working together on key projects, including the iconic projects in Iskandar Malaysia, the High Speed Rail and the Rapid Transit System. We also help each other in times of need. The upcoming Retreat will be another step in keeping up the positive momentum.

With Indonesia, we also developed a positive relationship. We look forward to President Joko Widodo's introductory visit to Singapore. The Prime Minister met the President at his inauguration last October and he had a private breakfast in Singapore last November. We look forward to maintaining a strong relationship with the new administration. And of course, we are always looking into ways to expand mutual cooperation. We are Indonesia's largest foreign investor. There is potential for us to do much more together. We will also explore strengthening collaboration in areas such as defence, environment and people-to-people links.

We will continue to maintain our special relationship with Brunei. His Majesty, the Sultan of Brunei, visited Singapore last year. Both sides reaffirmed the excellent state of bilateral relationships. Both are committed to exploring new areas of cooperation. We are focused, in particular, on expanding links between our younger leaders and youths on both sides.

We have also broadened and deepened our relationships with the rest of our Southeast Asian neighbours.

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With Thailand, we continue to enjoy excellent relations. The current government has promised stability. Thailand is ASEAN's second largest economy. It is important for us that Thailand succeeds. This is in Singapore's and ASEAN's interests. We wish Thailand well. Prime Minister Prayut is expected to visit Singapore for a Leaders' Retreat this month. We look forward to working with Thailand. We want to strengthen Singapore-Thailand relations and promote ASEAN's interests.

Let me now turn to the broader region – US, China and Japan. Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Ms Ellen Lee, Mr Ong Teng Koon and Mr Gerald Giam asked about the situation in the broader Asia Pacific region, including relations among the US, China, Japan, as well as the situation in the South China Sea.

There have been positive developments in the relationships in the countries in the Northeast Asia region. Tension between Japan and China has subsided somewhat after the meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Xi Jinping last November. The situation between the two countries, however, remains fragile.

Good, cordial relations between the major powers are important, because that will help foster regional economic development and prosperity. We welcome Japan's desire to play a more proactive role in the region to contribute to regional peace and stability. This should be broad-based and not just focused on security.

Meanwhile, the risks of conflict remain in the Korean Peninsula, as well as the South and East China Seas.

The Code of Conduct in the South China Sea has been ASEAN's consistent goal. Over the past year, there have been a number of developments. These developments have lent urgency to the need for a COC to be concluded between ASEAN and China.

China has indicated its willingness to work towards a COC. It most recently repeated its commitment at the 17th ASEAN-China Summit. Singapore will work closely with ASEAN member states and China to expedite negotiations on the COC. Meanwhile, we continue to urge all parties to refrain from actions that could escalate tensions in the South China Sea.

Mr Gerald Giam expressed specific concern about China's, as he put it, extensive building on reefs, islands and the militarisation of those reefs and islands. He asked about the threat to freedom of navigation and pointed out that that is a serious risk for us. I thank him for these comments because if freedom of navigation is impacted, for us, it is an economically existential issue. It is as simple as that, because we have two major arteries: north-east, north-west. North-west through the Straits of Malacca; north-east through the

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South China Sea. Our external trade is three to four times that of our gross domestic product (GDP), and free flow is, therefore, vital to our very existence as a sovereign state.

His question is what will we do if China threatens freedom of navigation – what will we do as Singapore, and what will we do as ASEAN. At this stage, that remains a hypothetical question, because China has confirmed at its highest levels – Prime Minister Li Keqiang himself and through various other official platforms – that China guarantees freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

The question is also hypothetical for another reason because we cannot presuppose, one way or another, whether China is entitled to build on these islands and reefs, because that is a circular question. It depends on whether China owns those islands and to what extent it has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and to what extent it has territorial sea and whether these are islands which are capable of generating either territorial sea or EEZ. Those are questions on which we take no position. They are to be sorted out among the different claimant states and subject to international law.

Given that all those scenarios are hypothetical and given that China's assurances on freedom of navigation have been given at the highest levels, our task is to focus on the Code of Conduct to make sure how parties interact with each other, when they engage each other in the high seas.

If, for some reason, there are issues of freedom of navigation, what is currently available are platforms for ASEAN and Singapore to engage China at the highest levels. ASEAN provides a platform – I earlier talked about ASEAN +1 and ASEAN + 3 – and a variety of other platforms have been set up where these issues can be discussed with China and taken up at the Leaders' level, at the Foreign Ministers' level, at the senior officials' level. Those are the very purpose of the platforms to discuss these issues.

At the same time, it is important to remember that the ASEAN-China partnership is a broad-based one. It is not restricted to the South China Sea. It is much broader than that. China is either the number one or number two trading partner for almost every country in ASEAN. China is the largest investor in most countries in ASEAN and, if not the largest, then the second largest.

If you look at how the regional architecture is developing, what China has done, in terms of its relationship in the last few years, look at mainland Southeast Asia. It is being criss-crossed with the infrastructure, often financed by Chinese capital and built by Chinese

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companies, which integrates mainland Southeast Asia effectively with southern China. The mainland Southeast Asian countries welcome that. It increases their economic vibrancy and the whole region is becoming integrated economically. Beyond that, China's relationship with each of the ASEAN countries is being upgraded to a very high level. Some of it is based on economic diplomacy; some of it, for example, as in our case, is based on long relationships and mutual understanding.

In addition, China is also the engine or motor that drives some of the very important regional initiatives, for example, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank that is being set up which will finance a large number of projects in the region. On the sea, of course, there are the developments that Mr Gerald Giam has mentioned. There are other developments as well.

The changes are happening very quickly, and the response to these changes depends really on the countries involved. Some of the countries, if you take Cambodia, Laos, they have no claims in the South China Sea. They see the benefits of these changes; all of us see the benefits in these changes. As we take a view, it is important that we understand what the changes are. It is a situation where, if you do not keep your eye on the ball and you come back to it two years later, the picture looks very different. And the countries and their alignments look very different.

We will do our best to achieve a balance. But we keep making the point, which sometimes sounds boring, but we are a small country. We try to keep relations on an even keel, and we take over as coordinator of ASEAN-China dialogue relations at a very interesting time, later this year.

Madam, we have limited influence over major power relations. But over the years, we have created a small, niche role for ourselves. We have done this through our active promotion and participation on regional platforms. These platforms involve the major powers. We try to be an honest broker in dealing with these issues in our relations with the major powers. We work closely with like-minded countries to encourage the constructive engagement of the big powers in our region.

In the context of the strategic balance in the Asia Pacific, I also want to mention Australia. We enjoy strategic convergence with Australia on key issues. We are working towards a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). The CSP will be launched later this year by Prime Minister Lee and Prime Minister Abbott.

While we enjoy excellent relations with our partners, there are global challenges. These can complicate not only relations between nations, but also affect our own people. I can,

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therefore, understand Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef and Ms Ellen Lee's queries. They asked about the threats posed by the expanding ISIS network and its impact on the region.

The expanding ISIS network is a serious threat to global security. We are not immune. ISIS is really the latest manifestation of the forces that inspire religious radicalisation, extremism. We face risks in the form of terrorism arising from returned fighters as well as sympathisers of ISIS. All countries in the region have a strong interest to work together to address this. We have taken a clear, unambiguous position. We have condemned the actions of ISIS. We are doing our part to support the international coalition against ISIS.

In Asia, countries have also taken a firm stance against the actions of ISIS. They are taking steps to address the threat of extremism. They have done this both domestically and through international cooperation. In this context, Singapore will be organising an East Asia Summit Symposium on Religious Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration in April this year. This is to share best practices among member countries on tackling extremism. It is in the interest of all countries in the region to work together and deal with this threat.

Madam, there are fundamentals, strategic imperatives that have shaped our foreign policy. These fundamentals and strategic imperatives will continue shape our foreign policy in the years ahead. We have to find ways of staying relevant. We must continue to nurture and build on existing partnerships networks, deepen regional integration. To achieve this, maintaining a premier foreign service is crucial.

In terms of resources, MFA's staff is our greatest asset. Given the increasingly complex external environment, there will always be competing demands for the time and attention of our officers. They will continue to give their best even in times of resource constraints. However, inevitably, one has to recognise that there is a limit to what can be achieved when there are severe constraints. As an organisation, we will continue to try and prioritise, allocate our resources effectively, and our officers will try to protect and advance Singapore's interests on the global stage. Minister Grace Fu and Senior Minister of State Masagos will answer the other questions.

Thank you, Madam. Ms Irene Ng had asked about Singapore's relationship with ASEAN countries. Minister Shanmugam has covered Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Thailand. I will now cover the other ASEAN neighbours. Our relations with them are strong as we continue to deepen our relationships and support them in their development and integration into the ASEAN Community.

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Myanmar is in the midst of significant political and economic reforms. Singapore continues to invest in Myanmar's development as we strengthen our links with the government and people for the benefit of both countries. For example, we have been working towards the establishment of the Singapore-Myanmar Vocational Training Institute in Yangon later this year which will contribute to Myanmar's efforts in developing skilled labour.

With Vietnam, we continue to implement our Strategic Partnership on the basis of mutual respect, trust and ensuring a balance of benefits. We celebrated 40 years of diplomatic relations with Laos in 2014 and will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Thailand and Cambodia this year.

Singapore also stands ready to assist our neighbours during difficult times. President Tony Tan visited the Philippines last year and made a special visit to Tacloban, an area devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. He also handed over Singapore's contributions to the Philippines' relief and reconstruction efforts.

On the United States and China, Mr Ong Teng Koon had asked about the state of Singapore's relations with the US and China, including how we can further grow these relationships. Both the US and China remain key partners for Singapore and for many of our neighbours. They have important roles to play in ensuring continued stability and growth in the region.

Singapore's political, economic and security ties with the US remain strong and substantive. Prime Minister Lee and Minister Shanmugam made separate visits to Washington in June and May last year and met President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry respectively.

Our relationship with the US is underpinned by strong institutional frameworks and processes that have been established over the last decades. These include the Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA) that frames our defence partnership and cooperation, and the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA) which continues to be the cornerstone of our economic relationship. In fact, the US is our top foreign investor. More recently, MFA and the US State Department conducted our Third Strategic Partnership Dialogue in Washington in February this year. We will also be renewing our Third Country Training Programme to deliver more impactful joint technical assistance to the ASEAN region in 2015.

China – China's growth and prosperity bring benefits to the region. It is the top trading partner of many ASEAN countries, including Singapore, as we have heard from Minister Shanmugam earlier. Our relations with China continue to be excellent, with regular high-

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level exchanges and robust economic and people-to-people cooperation. President Tan, Prime Minister Lee, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh, as well as Deputy Prime Ministers Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam visited China in 2014. Singapore also hosted visits by Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi, Guangdong Party Secretary Hu Chunhua and Zhejiang Party Secretary Xia Baolong, among others. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Singapore-China diplomatic relations and there will be an exchange of State Visits to commemorate the occasion. The Singapore Day will be held in Shanghai in April this year, reflecting the size of the Singapore diaspora in China.

Singapore's cooperation with China has evolved to keep up with the times. Following our experience with the Suzhou Industrial Park and the Tianjin Eco-City Project, we are now looking at working together on a third government-to-government project in China's Western Region. We are also exploring new areas of cooperation in finance, social governance, food safety, sustainable development and environmental protection.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked for an update on Singapore's relations with Japan and the Republic of Korea. Singapore and Japan share a close and multifaceted relationship and we cooperate closely on many issues of common interest. Singapore-Japan relations are further strengthened by frequent meetings between Prime Minister Lee and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In fact, they have met six times in the last two years. In 2014, Prime Minister Lee spoke at the Nikkei Conference in Tokyo while Prime Minister Abe delivered the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue. We have also maintained good relations with the Republic of Korea and will commemorate our 40th year of bilateral relations with a State Visit to the Republic of Korea by President Tan later this year.

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked for an update on Singapore-India relations and how this may, in turn, have an impact on business, employment and skills training opportunities for Singaporeans. Our relations with India are long-standing and warm. We are working with Prime Minister Modi's government towards elevating our relationship to a strategic partnership which will further deepen political and economic relations.

As part of the commemorative events celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and India, President Tan made a State Visit in February this year, and President Mukherjee will reciprocate with a State Visit to Singapore later this year. Prime Minister Modi is also scheduled to make a visit to Singapore.

Singapore and India are cooperating at both the central and state government level in India, in areas where we can add value, such as urban solutions and skills development. Our

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companies are working with the Andhra Pradesh state government on the master planning of the new capital city, as Member Dr Intan has brought up. This project will position Singapore businesses to take advantage of downstream opportunities. We are also sharing our experience in vocational training with the Rajasthan government. Through such capacity building projects, we will, in turn, promote the Singapore brand name in India and beyond.

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about our diplomatic relations with various European Union (EU) countries, as well as Singapore's collaboration with new and emerging markets, such as Eastern Europe. We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of relations with key European partners this year, namely, France, Denmark, Italy, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. To mark the occasion as well as to celebrate SG50, we are organising commemorative events in Europe, while the European missions and communities in Singapore have also initiated various activities.

Over the decades, we have developed broad-based and substantive relations with Europe. We continue to explore ways to deepen ties through the exchange of high-level visits and regular interactions across many sectors. Recent visits include President Tan's State Visit to the UK in October 2014 and Prime Minister Lee's visit to Germany and Spain in February this year. President Tan is also scheduled to make a State Visit to France in May. On the economic front, the EU is Singapore's third largest trading partner and the largest contributor of Foreign Direct Investments into Singapore.

To further strengthen our economic linkages with Europe, we are working on the ratification of the EU-Singapore FTA (EUSFTA) and the EU-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (ESPCA). At the same time, we are also growing our strong links in vocational training. For example, Germany, together with Switzerland, is a key partner and learning model of the SkillsFuture initiative to develop pathways for applied and continuing education and training in Singapore.

Singapore engages Central and Eastern European countries bilaterally, but also within the framework of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). On the sidelines of the last ASEM Summit in Milan last October, Prime Minister Lee met several leaders from the region to discuss, among other things, economic opportunities in each other's regions.

Notably, our leaders visited Poland, Hungary and the Slovak Republic in 2013 to develop linkages and to raise awareness of the economic opportunities of using Singapore as a gateway to Asia. We are looking forward to welcoming Hungarian President János Áder when he visits in April 2015. We remain concerned about the situation in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko visited Singapore in December last year and briefed our leaders on developments there. We have taken a strong stand against Russia's military intervention in Ukraine because we believe that all countries, big and small, must abide by international

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law. This is especially vital to small countries like Singapore. We hope that a lasting resolution can be reached to restore peace to the region.

With Russia, the annual High-Level Russia-Singapore Inter-Governmental Commission has been a useful platform for Singapore to highlight our positions on issues directly to Russian leaders and engage the different regions in Russia.

On Australia, Minister Shanmugam mentioned briefly our relations. Let me add that this is the 50th anniversary of Singapore-Australia diplomatic relations, and also in response to Mr Liang Eng Hwa's request for an update. This is the 50th anniversary of Singapore-Australia diplomatic relations. They are amongst one of the first countries to recognise our Independence in 1965 and a key partner with whom we enjoy a close and multifaceted relationship founded on strategic convergence. There is bi-partisan support in Australia for good relations with Singapore. Both countries are taking this relationship to the next level by launching a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) this year, which will further broaden and deepen existing cooperation. The CSP will consist of a substantive 10-year work programme to strengthen collaboration across the key pillars of Economics and Trade; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security; and People-to-People exchanges.

In addition to nurturing good bilateral relations with our partners, Singapore also actively engages them through the various multilateral fora.

This year not only marks Singapore's 50th year of Independence, but also the 50th anniversary of our membership in the United Nations (UN). The UN itself is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its establishment. Through the UN, we continue to play an active role as a responsible and constructive member of the international community. Negotiations are ongoing at the UN for the Post-2015 Development Agenda to be adopted this year. To show our continued support, we are looking for ways to share our experience and contribute to the Development Agenda, including through a new initiative for technical cooperation.

We have consistently been active at the UN as convenors of the Forum of Small States and the Global Governance Group. As the co-chair of the Group of Friends for Sustainable Cities, we will share at the UN our experiences in developing sustainable and liveable cities. This year, we are organising the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum in June which will be held in New York City. We have also raised awareness of major urban challenges, such as water and sanitation issues, through events like World Toilet Day. In addition, the 21st Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in December also needs to adopt a new global agreement on climate change. Singapore participates actively in the negotiations as we want to see a balanced global agreement with universal participation, where all countries, big and small, contribute to climate action in line

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with their national circumstances.

In addition, we continue to grow our diplomatic space through participation at other fora like the G20, and even in non-traditional areas, as we have heard several times in the past, like the Arctic Council. While we are not officially a member of the G20, which groups the largest economies of the world, we have been invited to participate in the G20 Summits, including the one to be held in Antalya, Turkey, in November 2015.

Mr David Ong asked what Singapore's role was in the Arctic Council and how Singapore's interests are expressed and protected. We became an observer to the Arctic Council in May 2013. This has allowed us to closely monitor developments in the Arctic that may impact us. This has also opened up new opportunities for us to deepen our engagement with Arctic states. As a low-lying island, we are concerned about the melting ice sheets and changes in sea levels. Our participation at the Council will inform us in the development of climate change adaptation strategies.

The melting of Arctic ice has enabled longer navigational seasons along the Northern Sea Route during the summer months, enabling ships to reduce travel times between Europe and Asia, compared to the traditional route through the Suez Canal. This translates to cost savings and faster voyages for shipping companies. Nevertheless, there remain many challenges, such as the presence of sea ice and icebergs, limited mapping of the Arctic Ocean and harsh weather conditions to operate in the Arctic.

Senior Minister of State Masagos will now speak on our engagement with emerging markets in the Middle East, Latin America and Africa, as well as on our technical assistance and consular services for Singaporeans abroad.

Mdm Chair, Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about the situation in the Middle East, as well as how Singapore monitors our students and business people living or travelling in that region. She had also asked about Singapore's collaboration with new and emerging markets, such as those in Africa and Latin America.

The security situation in the Middle East will remain fluid for the foreseeable future. The Syrian conflict rages on with more than 200,000 deaths and this could further foment instability in the region. The situation in Yemen is also of concern, given the disintegration of the central government and fighting between armed groups. ISIS will continue to be a significant threat which the global community must grapple with. MFA will continue to closely monitor developments in the region which may impact Singapore. Having said that, we should not over-generalise the same concerns across the whole of the Middle East as

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each region and country is unique in its own right.

Bilaterally, Singapore will continue to actively engage the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. There has been a major leadership transition in Saudi Arabia and we look forward to working with the new leadership under His Majesty King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to boost bilateral relations. Our ties with the GCC are also sustained by institutionalised bilateral platforms, such as the Singapore-Qatar High Level Joint Committee and the Singapore-UAE Joint Committee. We are also working to facilitate the implementation of the GCC-Singapore FTA, which came into force in September 2013. In addition, we will be commemorating 30 years of diplomatic relations with Oman, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait this year. As fellow small states, we share a certain affinity for one another and can cooperate for mutual benefit.

We also welcome the continued interest from the Middle East on our developmental experience. We continue to receive regular requests for study visits to Singapore and participate in our Technical Assistance Programme, which I will touch on later. Egypt, for example, is keen to study our experience in developing our ports and maritime industry as the Egyptian government embarks on the Suez Canal Regional Development Project. Others, such as the Palestinians, have sent delegations to look at our anti-corruption efforts and education system. When I visited Ramallah in October 2014, I assured the Palestinian leaders, including President Mahmoud Abbas, of Singapore's continued support for its capacity-building efforts. They welcomed this warmly.

With regard to safeguarding the safety of Singaporeans overseas, we would like to clarify that we do not "monitor" or pry into the movements of Singaporeans travelling abroad. Instead, our Missions proactively reach out to and work closely with overseas Singaporean communities, not only in the Middle East region, but in every part of the world, as far as we can, on a regular basis, to build a comprehensive safety network. In times of emergency, these communities play an important role in coordinating and relaying public safety messages to Singaporeans in their country. For example, PERKEMAS, the student association in Cairo played an integral role in coordinating our emergency efforts on the ground and proved integral to our successful execution of the assisted departure exercises of our students from Cairo in 2011 and 2013.

Let me touch on Turkey. Besides the emerging markets in the Middle East, Singapore is working closely with Turkey to broaden and deepen our ties. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made an official visit to Singapore in January 2014 when he was Prime Minister. Our Prime Minister made his first official visit to Turkey in October 2014 where he signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with his Turkish counterpart. During the visits, both

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countries affirmed their commitment towards achieving a high-quality and comprehensive Singapore-Turkey FTA. I am pleased to add that good progress has been made on the negotiations to date.

Turning to Africa, there have been numerous positive developments that have opened up a window of opportunity for our private sector to tap into. During my visit to Kenya and Tanzania in 2014, I was impressed by the rapid economic growth and pace of development that were taking place throughout the continent. We will continue to take steps to institutionalise our engagement with Africa and to preserve the gains that we have achieved so far. For instance, the Third Africa-Singapore Business Forum saw 181 participants visiting Singapore. In addition, we played host to the First Sub-Saharan Africa High Level Ministerial Exchange Visit in August 2014 that was attended by seven countries.

Our account in Latin America continues to grow, as highlighted by the forthcoming State Visit by President Tony Tan to Mexico this month and our healthy engagement with the Pacific Alliance, a key trading bloc to which Singapore is an observer. These are new areas of growth and opportunity for Singapore businesses. We are also exploring the feasibility of collaborating with Mexico and Chile to train officials from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Mdm Chair, let me touch on the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP) that has trained many government officials from all over the world. It is our primary platform for extending technical assistance. Indeed, over 170 countries have benefited from this programme for the last 23 years. I am happy to share that we expect to receive our milestone 100,000th participant this year. Through the SCP, we share our experiences in real settings in governance, economic development, sustainable urban development and port management, just to name a few.

Insights into our unique experience in planning, development and renewal of our beautiful island, are prized highly by many nations, keen to learn as they, too, embark on urbanisation and development.

A significant part of our technical assistance continues to be focused on enhancing the human resource of our ASEAN neighbours. This is our way to make sure that we make a meaningful contribution that will help to build a resilient and integrated ASEAN Community.

In the year ahead, the SCP will also roll out new programmes to meet rising challenges and changing needs around the world. For example, we are offering a new suite of leadership programmes aimed at tapping on the collective experiences of senior foreign officials to address salient challenges affecting governance, women in leadership, education, urban planning and judicial processes. New programmes on social and family policies will also

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showcase Singapore's progress in advancing the needs of women and children.

Mdm Chair, I now move on to consular services for Singaporeans, which are very important priority for MFA. Against the backdrop of external uncertainties and higher numbers of Singaporeans travelling abroad more frequently, MFA's challenge is to meet Singaporeans' growing demand for prompt and effective consular services, as well as to manage more complex cases efficiently with our limited resources in MFA.

MFA is committed to doing what it can to help Singaporeans, especially those in distress. When a tugboat sank in Jingjiang earlier this year, officers from our Consulate-General in Shanghai immediately rushed to the scene to provide assistance to the Singaporean next-of-kin who had sadly lost their loved ones in the tragedy.

MFA currently operates 49 Overseas Missions. Over the years, we have established a network of 30 Honorary Consuls-General in various major cities. In countries where we do not have any diplomatic representation, we cooperate closely with our ASEAN countries to render assistance to our nationals.

MFA will continue to improve its work processes, leverage on technology and increase our outreach efforts in order to provide better consular assistance to Singaporeans. In this regard, emergency preparedness is an important priority. To ensure a high level of readiness within MFA and within the Government as a whole, simulation exercises and reviews of our contingency plans, as well as the training of officers, are regularly conducted.

The above notwithstanding, MFA has to be judicious in our efforts. We are a small Ministry. We cannot afford to deal with requests that will divert attention or limited resources away from Singaporeans who require genuine assistance. Singaporeans can help by taking precautions and remaining vigilant, both at home and abroad. They should also observe local laws, purchase comprehensive travel insurance and take care of their passports and other important belongings.

Singaporeans should also try to keep track of MFA's travel notices and advisories, which can be readily accessed via our app, MFA@SG, which they can download to their smartphones. The app also allows Singaporeans to eRegister so that we can get in touch with them in a major crisis.