Washington, 17 June 2023 (TDI): The United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken hosted Vivian Balakrishnan, the Singapore Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The ministers recognized the strength and longevity of their relationship. Both sides warmly welcomed the prospects of expanded bilateral cooperation in emerging areas such as cybersecurity, climate change mitigation, and space exploration.
Minister Balakrishnan thanked the US for its commitment to engaging with the region and ASEAN. Notably, he acknowledged the progress that has been made in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity.
Joint Press Availability
While engaging with the media, Vivian Balakrishnan and Antony Blinken expressed their shared pessimism regarding the political situation in Myanmar since the 2021 coup. Both officials noted the lack of progress and stated that it was not the time to re-engage at a high level with Myanmar’s junta.
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Singapore, as a member of ASEAN, highlighted that the current ASEAN chair Indonesia is engaging with a wide range of stakeholders. These engagements include opponents of the coup, with the aim of seeking a resolution.
Vivian stated, “You do need everyone ultimately to sit down and negotiate. I don’t know how long it will take. The last time it took 25 years for some form of democratic transition to occur in Myanmar. I hope it won’t take that long.”
Secretary Blinken also asserted his agreement with Minister Balakrishnan and expressed support for ASEAN’s efforts in Myanmar. He highlighted the importance of sustaining pressure on the junta while seeking avenues to engage with the opposition.
“It’s very important that we continue – all of us – to sustain the appropriate pressure on the junta and look for ways, of course, to engage the opposition,” he said.
A UN expert report in May revealed that entities in Singapore had shipped $254 million worth of supplies to the Myanmar military. When asked about the report, Minister Balakrishnan emphasized Singapore’s policy of preventing arms or dual-use items from reaching Myanmar. He assured that the city-state would take action based on the findings of the UN expert.
US-Singapore Climate Partnership
The United States and Singapore are strategic partners, sharing a strong commitment to combating climate change. They are dedicated to advancing clean energy transition in the Indo-Pacific region. They launched the U.S.-Singapore Climate Partnership in 2021 to strengthen collaboration on climate action, environmental governance, sustainable development, research and development, and low- and zero-emission solutions. The partnership focuses on five key areas:
The United States and Singapore have formed a partnership to support the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources. Their collaboration aims to drive sustainable energy adoption in the ASEAN region. They are collaborating on initiatives to connect power grids across countries, facilitating the sharing and utilization of renewable energy.
Hosted Singapore Foreign Minister @VivianBala in Washington today. We affirmed our strong U.S.-Singapore strategic partnership and our enduring commitment to the Indo-Pacific. We also discussed tackling top regional and global challenges, including the climate crisis. pic.twitter.com/luBrNfdfTj
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) June 16, 2023
Both governments are exploring avenues to secure financial support from the public and private sectors. This funding will be used to develop wind farms, solar panels, and other clean energy infrastructure.
Special attention is being given to challenging sectors such as shipping and aviation in order to establish cleaner fuel lanes. The objective is to promote sustainability and environmental responsibility in Southeast Asia.
Additionally, efforts are underway to reduce pollution through natural methods, such as forest conservation and sustainable land use. The partnership focuses on developing innovative solutions in urban planning, transportation, and waste management. These efforts aim to combat pollution in cities effectively.
Both countries actively assist regional nations in meeting Paris Agreement obligations through knowledge-sharing platforms and tailored assistance. They provide support based on individual countries’ specific requirements.
