Asean, GCC, China can deepen ties amid global uncertainty: PM Wong
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
(From left) Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, Myanmar's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aung Kyaw Moe, Qatar's Minister of Commerce and Industry Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Oman's Deputy Prime Minister for Relations and International Affairs Sayyid Asa'ad bin Tariq Al Said, Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, China's Premier Li Qiang, Brunei's Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, Ruler of the UAE's Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Sugiono, Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, and Asean Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn posing for a family photo on May 27.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
KUALA LUMPUR - Amid global geopolitical turbulence and uncertainty, Asean, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China can forge deeper ties to unlock new pathways for shared prosperity, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Speaking at two landmark summits in Kuala Lumpur on May 27 – the second Asean-GCC Summit and the inaugural Asean-GCC-China Summit, PM Wong underscored the potential for these regions to drive global growth and resilience by working more closely together.
During the summit between Asean, which comprises 10 member countries, and the GCC, a key bloc of six Arab states, PM Wong said the global environment has become much more uncertain since the two groups last met in October 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“And in this turbulent world, Asean and the GCC should strengthen our linkages,” he said at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, where both summits were held.
PM Wong noted that Asean, with a population of over 670 million, is on track to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030, while the GCC is rapidly transforming into an important global player.
“So our two regions should really do more together,” he said.
He pointed to the 2023 Framework of Cooperation between the two groups, saying its adoption had boosted Asean-GCC ties and that the latest summit offered an opportunity to forge even closer links.
PM Wong outlined three key areas of cooperation for the two groups.
On trade and investment, he said Singapore was the first non-Middle Eastern country to establish a free trade agreement (FTA) with the GCC, and discussions are under way to upgrade it. The Gulf Cooperation Council–Singapore FTA was signed in December 2008 and entered into force in September 2013.
This agreement can be a pathfinder to a wider Asean-GCC FTA, and PM Wong said he believed other leaders would support this effort, which would lower tariffs, strengthen supply chains, promote food security and enhance investment flows between the regions.
“So I hope we can redouble our efforts to accelerate the study to examine the possibility of having this FTA and also facilitating closer links between our business communities.”
PM Wong also called for exploring collaboration between the GCC and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest trade pact that covers 30 per cent of the world’s population and economic output.
Combined, the RCEP and GCC represent about 35 per cent of global gross domestic product. PM Wong acknowledged that an FTA between the two could be very complex.
“But if we can establish a formal partnership between the two entities, this can facilitate more trade and investment flows, and help to uphold key principles of our rules-based trading system,” he said.
Energy transition is another area of shared interest. PM Wong noted how Asean is developing a regional power grid, while the GCC is an energy powerhouse investing in greener energy.
“So we welcome the GCC’s support for the Asean Power Grid – be it by investing in and financing new grid infrastructure, or sharing your knowledge on cross-border energy transmission,” he said.
PM Wong also pointed to opportunities for cooperation as Asean’s demand for clean energy grows.
Thirdly, PM Wong said Asean was concluding a Digital Economy Framework Agreement in 2025, which would provide the basis to engage external partners and consider establishing digital partnerships with the GCC.
The agreement, introduced in 2023, has been described as a boost for the growth of digital trade and services in the region. Studies suggest it could double the projected value of Asean’s digital economy from US$1 trillion (S$1.3 trillion) to US$2 trillion by 2030.
PM Wong added that Asean welcomes further cooperation with the GCC on the enablers of the digital economy, including in cyber security, data governance and cross-border data flows.
Beyond these economic and technological links, PM Wong said Asean and the GCC have always stood for “an approach of engagement and dialogue to uphold peace and stability”.
Turning to the ongoing global conflicts, he reiterated Singapore’s position on the Middle East crisis.
Where the issue of Palestine is concerned, PM Wong said Singapore joins others in calling for an immediate ceasefire and the return of the remaining hostages.
“We also call for all parties to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law, and we reiterate our longstanding support for a negotiated two-state solution, which is the only viable path to a comprehensive, just, and durable solution to the conflict.”
Summit with China
At the Asean-GCC-China Summit, PM Wong said Asean already has strong partnerships with both sides,
“We are moving forward from strong foundations and our three regions should do more together,” he said.
He suggested some ways to advance this trilateral cooperation, including working on concrete projects under the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The document, introduced in 2019, sets out how countries in the region can engage in cooperative ways to ensure peace, stability and prosperity. PM Wong noted that many proposals discussed at the summit dovetail with the AOIP’s priority areas, and provide a good basis to deepen collaboration.
He also highlighted the need to strengthen trade and investment links, pointing out that Asean already has an FTA with China and looks forward to signing an upgrade to this.
“It is natural to extend these linkages towards a trilateral FTA between China, Asean and the GCC in due course,” he said.
PM Wong added that the three sides should cooperate in new areas such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence and renewable energy, noting that the GCC and China are global leaders in some of these fields.
He said Asean hopes to leverage the GCC and China’s expertise to support the Asean Power Grid and the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement.
“This will help all our regions to harness the potential of technological advances, and to meet our shared goal of a sustainable future,” added PM Wong.
PM Wong and other leaders also attended a royal luncheon hosted by Malaysia’s King, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, at the Istana Negara.
In a social media post, PM Wong said he was honoured to attend the event. He noted that the King is a longstanding friend of Singapore, and it was a pleasure to see him again following their last meeting in January.
PM Wong also thanked him for his support for the strong and enduring ties between the two countries.
