Transcript of Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's Doorstop Interview with Singapore Media at the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings, 11 July 2025

Minister: Well, as we were just discussing, it has been a very busy period. So the time has flown, because very literally, every hour has been accounted for. It has been an intensive series of meetings with my ASEAN colleagues, one-on-one and collectively, and also with the external partners of ASEAN. And I should say, I was pleasantly surprised at the very high attendance at senior levels from the external partners as well, which is a good reflection of ASEAN’s convening ability, even in this time. I would say at the outset that the overall mood was sober. There are concerns. There is still a hot war in Europe. There is the horrendous conflict in Gaza, and then, of course, the announcements on tariffs, which occurred in rapid fire during the past few days, also set a more sober mood, particularly on the economic front. So that was the backdrop in which the discussions took place.

So perhaps as the response, or in reaction to that, the focus of these meetings, was first internally within ASEAN itself, to increase our resilience to the uncertainty and volatility and economic challenges by doubling down on our ASEAN integration. And secondly, by expanding and strengthening our external relations with ASEAN’s partners. In a way, you can think of this as an attempt to increase resilience by increasing the stability of ASEAN’s economic ties across the world.

So let me just go through a bit more detail. Internally within ASEAN, when we talk about economic integration, remember our overall vision ultimately is to make ASEAN a single production zone, a single investment zone. And that means bringing down barriers, not just tariff barriers, but non-tariff barriers as well, making it easier for investors to site their production facilities or their management or regional offices where it makes most sense to achieve synergy and to make ourselves as competitive as possible. Related to that, we are upgrading our agreement, the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), and that again reflects this focus on breaking down barriers to trade and investment within ASEAN. And what we really hope to see is intra-ASEAN trade figures go up significantly. So that is one stream of work.

With our external partners, so far we have already upgraded existing free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand. We have also embarked on – actually substantially, I would say, done most of the work – for the upgrade to the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area. And we are about to start work on the upgrade of the ASEAN-ROK Free Trade Area as well. So that also expands existing channels of trade. Expand them, make it easier, and from the point of resilience, achieving a more omni-directional stability in our trade and economic ties. So that has been the focus so far. I will be happy to take questions.

Mohd Hariz bin Baharudin (Straits Times): Minister, to build on your point about resilience, PM Lawrence Wong had earlier called for bolder reforms to help ASEAN evolve into a more seamless, competitive and integrated single market. So, against a backdrop of trade uncertainties and all these global tensions you mentioned earlier, what more can ASEAN do to strengthen its economic resilience and geopolitical standing?

Minister: I was just explaining just now. In a sense, what we are doing internally - to reduce friction and barriers to the movement of capital, ideas and company operations, and establishing more secure supply lines - is part of this agenda that PM Lawrence Wong has referred to. And similarly, improving the economic connectivity with our external partners is also part of that reform process. And I should also add that the third part is on connectivity within ASEAN. Connectivity in both the figurative and literal sense: the literal sense is the project which we have been very much focused on right now – the ASEAN Power Grid. This is part of our transition into a more sustainable energy system, but also a way to mobilise more capital which can be used to invest in local infrastructure, which will enable sustainable energy projects and indeed, the other downstream industries which depend on this energy.

So that is the tangible sense of it. Even for the ASEAN Power Grid, we are also looking at opportunities to tap on the expertise and the experience of our external partners. It is not just a question of mobilising capital, but also technology, ideas, and how to optimise the regulation of it so that barriers come down. We are also negotiating the Digital Economy Framework Agreement for ASEAN, which is almost complete. So that is about lowering barriers to digital services, cross-border data flows, cross-border transactions, e-payments and the like. And to do all that in a safe and secure way. And I should also add that we recognise that as the digital economy expands, so have the dangers. One example which everyone paid attention to is online scams. First, many people in Singapore and in ASEAN are victims, but you would be surprised to find that even people as far away as America and Europe have also fallen prey to some of these online scams. Some of these operations actually originate from within ASEAN. So that collective commitment to deal with this and try to root out the locations where these activities are being conducted, and to deal with the criminal syndicates behind this.

The main point I am making is that PM Wong's call for reform and that sense of urgency was very timely. People recognise that, and it gives an additional push to all these efforts at accelerating integration and expanding the network of ties with ASEAN's external partners.

Daryl Lim (LHZB): We have seen that the Myanmar conflict has been ongoing for a few years, and for Timor-Leste’s admission to ASEAN, Myanmar has formally objected to this admission citing internal affairs. So, given ASEAN’s consensus-based decision-making and Myanmar’s current exclusion from these high-level meetings, how was this issue addressed during the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting?

Minister: We addressed this issue quite frontally. I am actually reasonably optimistic that you will see a resolution— wait for announcements over the next few weeks or months. I am reasonably confident that this will be resolved, and that Timor-Leste will be able to accede to ASEAN by the time the Summit comes around in October this year.

Tan Min-Wei (Mothership): In light of the Thai–Cambodian border issue causing friction for cross-border power agreements, will such disagreements jeopardise the ASEAN Power Grid, or even broader ASEAN centrality?

Minister: First of all, let me say this is very unfortunate, very tragic, and in fact, it has led to loss of life. Everyone was painfully aware of this, and no one more so than the Thais and the Cambodians themselves. I am not in a position to reveal the sensitive nature of the discussions which went on here, but I would make this point. It calls for quiet, discreet, constructive, effective diplomacy. And very often, having excessive publicity and having people respond — either through media conferences or social media — at least in my personal experience, this has never been a good formula to resolve difficult, sensitive, delicate issues. And border disputes and delimitation are very difficult and often take a very long time to resolve. My usual reminder to all diplomats is: patience. Do not look for a quick, overnight solution. In the meantime, do not make things worse — do not aggravate, do not inflame the situation. So, I think all I am prepared to say at this point is that Thailand and Cambodia need some time and some secure, quiet channels to let diplomacy work. But, based on my interactions with all of them and my fellow colleagues in ASEAN, everyone hopes for an amicable resolution. In fact, it is worth remembering that this dispute, in fact, goes back many decades. So, my point is: patience, discreetness and delicate diplomacy.

Muhd Muhaimin bin Suzaini (Berita Harian): Firstly, on the two new initiatives for Palestine announced at CEAPAD, what will be some intricacies at play, and will Singapore further its enhanced technical assistance package? Secondly, could you provide any update on the feasibility of deploying further medical assistance by the SAF to aid the medical situation in Gaza?

Minister: Let me deal with the first question. First, Singapore is participating in this conference, and it is a very clear manifestation of our support — and indeed, our enhanced support for the Palestinians. I just met the Palestinian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation [Dr Estephan Salameh], and I assured him that Singapore has always been in support of the Palestinian Authority in preparing them and their officials for ultimate statehood. And that is why we have focused on capacity building and on training. We are organising more courses for them which fit their needs. I expect to see more Palestinian ministers, civil servants and students in Singapore in the near future because we have to help them prepare ultimately for statehood.

So, at this conference, we will also be announcing the assistance where we will work with Japan to run a course on community policing and also a Young Leaders Programme. But beyond that, the point is that we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian Authority. We still believe that a negotiated two-state solution is the only viable way to achieve peace, security and dignity for these two peoples to live side by side. The other thing which we are all hoping for is that in the next few days, there will be a breakthrough and a ceasefire occurs. The civilians in Gaza deserve that. This war, this conflict, this bloodletting, has gone on for far too long.

And that brings me to your second question. You would be aware that since the conflict began in October 2023, we have been raising funds. We have been supporting the UN Relief and Works Agency. We have been delivering humanitarian assistance, either directly over land or even through airdrops to the Palestinian civilians. The SAF has done some initial scoping studies to see how we can help provide medical assistance directly — perhaps working with our partners in Egypt. It is too early to go into details of the exact or actual deployments, but rest assured that we intend to provide humanitarian and medical support for the civilians in Palestine.

Tan Min-Wei (Mothership): Can the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) be considered a model or pilot for future bilateral or multilateral integration within ASEAN? And with the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link and upgrades Malaysia is making to its train network, are we seeing the nascent development of an ASEAN mainline train network? And can I also press you about whether the Thai-Cambodia border issue will affect the ASEAN Power Grid, specifically?

Minister: Okay, so let us first deal with the Johor-Singapore SEZ. The concept behind that is complementarity and synergy. And actually, that makes eminent sense. There are complementary strengths of both Johor and Singapore, and to the extent that we can bring these strengths together, we make ourselves more competitive; and we provide a better base for our companies to be able to manufacture goods or provide services globally at a competitive rate. So it makes sense on its own merits. I would also add that people beyond Johor and Singapore are also looking at this, as you have said, to see whether this is a model which in fact can be expanded beyond just a bilateral level. Everyone recalls that we had this concept, which in fact is still relevant, called SIJORI – Singapore, Johor and Riau. And we are also now looking for opportunities in which the three countries: Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, can do more in a synergistic and complementary way. So that is something which we are working on.

You are right that, from an ASEAN perspective, this also may have relevant lessons for how to do cross-border collaboration that provides competitive advantage by pooling complementary strengths. So in that sense, there is more riding on this project than just Johor and Singapore alone. I think it was just about a week or 10 days ago – I remember getting together with the Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi and Anthony Loke, Minister of Transport from Malaysia, and Jeffrey Siow, our Acting Minister for Transport. This was where they were reviewing the actual rolling stock that would be used on the RTS Link. So I am glad to say that the RTS Link, which enhances connectivity between Johor and Singapore, is also coming on nicely. The Malaysians have assured me that it is on time, which is good. Again, this is a concrete project of connectivity, but it goes beyond that. It will have downstream impact on the way people live, work and play, the way our businesses are organised and our supply chains. We will have to work through all the downstream implications very, very carefully as well. But nett on nett, this is a positive development, and if it works, I am sure it will be a positive model for the rest of ASEAN as well.

Leong Wai Kit (CNA): I would like to pick up your point on the rapid fire tariffs. ASEAN Chair, Mr Anwar Ibrahim had called for closer alignment between the foreign and economic pillars. Things such as synergy will be beneficial to ASEAN. How will that play out in Washington, given that Mr Donald Trump tends to see foreign and economic pillars separately. And also, how would negotiation look like between a united ASEAN with Washington? What are the things that we have bargaining chips about, and what are things that we will not compromise on?

Minister: Well, I cannot speak for the American administration, but what I have always reminded my American interlocutors is that in Southeast Asia, trade is strategy. So the flow of trade and investments is actually a key strategic focus for all governments in Southeast Asia. And that is why ASEAN has been so focused. And now, for nearly six decades, our primary success has been, first, maintaining peace, and second, economic integration and expanding economic opportunities. So that is key. In terms of how we are responding to what is happening globally, we have also decided that we would have to coordinate both foreign affairs and trade and economic development far more closely at the ASEAN level. So, I would expect to see some changes in the way we work, or the way meetings are convened, so that both tracks are aligned and optimised.

Leong Wai Kit (CNA): Is it too late now? I mean, you would imagine that there will be a lot of synergy even before the era of tariffs.

Minister: Well, I think it is still useful to do so and more so now, given the turbulence. Your secondary question is about unified negotiation. I do not think that is the way the situation is going to unfold because first, the counter party on this other side, the Americans, view all this as a series of bilateral negotiations. What I would say is that the more effective ASEAN response is to double down on our own integration, because that is under our control. Make sure we have really removed every tariff and non-tariff barrier and optimise our competitive position. That is a path of no regret, and I would say the urgency and the salience of doing it now, it is so much more obvious.

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