ASEAN should uphold navigational rights to ensure supply chain resilience, says PM Wong

CEBU – ASEAN should continue to uphold navigational rights and freedoms, especially through international waterways, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said at the ASEAN summit on May 8, emphasising that supply chain resilience depends on maritime connectivity.

Allowing any party to weaponise and impose transit restrictions on waterways like the Strait of Hormuz sets a dangerous precedent that could disrupt critical sea lanes regionally and worldwide, he added.

PM Wong reiterated this longstanding position when speaking about what ASEAN can do now and in the years to come to better prepare for the challenges sparked by the Middle East conflict.

He noted that all ASEAN member states are party to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides for unimpeded passage through important straits.

Since the start of the Iran conflict and the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Singapore has reiterated its stance that transit passage through straits used for international navigation is a right under international law and not a privilege.

The war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway off Iran’s coast, has put key maritime choke points, such as the straits of Malacca and Singapore, under the spotlight.

PM Wong, noting that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had also spoken about these straits, said disruption of these waterways would have severe implications for ASEAN and the rest of the world. 

“So, it is in our collective interest to work together, and with others, to ensure that these critical sea lanes remain open, secure and accessible to all,” he added.

ASEAN should also think more creatively about how it can work with external partners to enhance resilience, he said.

PM Wong urged his counterparts to consider doing more with countries like Australia and New Zealand, and build on the work done in 2025 during Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN to engage the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the European Union.

“These are all potential trusted partners that we can work together with to uphold rules-based trade, to strengthen supply chains, and even to embark on free trade agreement negotiations,” he said.

Ultimately, for ASEAN to remain effective in engaging the world on different issues, it must demonstrate the ability to resolve its own internal issues peacefully and constructively, PM Wong said at the summit’s closed-door retreat session, which allows for more open and in-depth discussions.

“In a period of geopolitical uncertainty, it is vital that ASEAN remains strong and united,” he said. “If we let disputes divide us, then we diminish our credibility and our relevance on the international stage.”

PM Wong highlighted two regional situations that he said Singapore hopes to see resolved peacefully and expeditiously.

Citing the border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, he said the situation can affect regional stability and concerns all ASEAN member states.

The leaders of both countries agreed on May 7 to work on trust-building measures after rare talks arranged by the Philippines on the sidelines of the summit.

PM Wong thanked the Philippines for coordinating the efforts, and encouraged both sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and resolve differences through peaceful dialogue and established mechanisms.

The “dire” situation in Myanmar is another issue that the grouping will need to work on, he said.

Myanmar has been mired in a civil war since the violent military coup in 2021, and its junta leaders have been barred from attending high-level ASEAN meetings since.

While Myanmar has taken encouraging steps, including the recent release of prisoners and reduction of prison sentences, these moves still fall short of what has been agreed to under the Five Point Consensus (5PC), PM Wong said.

The peace plan includes a full cessation of violence and hostilities, as well as constructive dialogue with all parties involved.

“And while some progress may have been made, we have not arrived at what we set out to do under the 5PC,” he said.

Thus, there was no reason for ASEAN to deviate from the consensus, and the grouping should maintain its current position on Myanmar’s non-political representation at the ASEAN summits and foreign ministers’ meetings, he added.

Ultimately, Myanmar can achieve genuine national reconciliation only through inclusive and constructive dialogue involving all of the country’s key stakeholders, he said.

Urging all ASEAN member states to continue to uphold the consensus, PM Wong said: “All of us want to see Myanmar succeed. We want to see Myanmar move forward. So, we should continue to engage Myanmar to take positive steps towards fulfilling all of the conditions of the 5PC.”

He added that Singapore will continue to support the efforts of ASEAN, and also appoint a multi-year ASEAN special envoy on Myanmar to ensure continuity in the role.

Acknowledging that the challenges may seem daunting and insurmountable, PM Wong said the grouping has weathered many difficult periods in the past.

“As long as we are united, I am confident we can continue to do so and emerge stronger together,” he said.

After the summit sessions, PM Wong met Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and had a discussion with Asian Development Bank president Kanda Masato.