Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to attend ASEAN Summit in Cebu
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Asean leaders are expected to discuss ways to strengthen trade, energy and food security in the region.
PHOTO: AFP
SINGAPORE – Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong will attend the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines on May 8, when leaders of the 11-member grouping are expected to discuss ways to strengthen trade, energy and food security in the region.
The biannual meeting, which will be held in Cebu, has been pared down to what Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr described as a “bare bones” programme, amid disruptions to supply chains and rising energy prices due to the Iran war.
The leaders will also discuss the region’s green energy transition and strengthening collaboration with ASEAN’s external partners to advance shared priorities as well as reinforce regional stability, said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on May 6.
PM Wong will be accompanied by Mrs Wong and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.
He is expected to have a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.
The Philippines, which holds the ASEAN chairmanship in 2026, has declared a national energy emergency in the light of the Middle East situation and the resulting escalation in fuel and electricity costs.
Much of its fuel imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively closed due to the conflict.
The theme of the ASEAN Summit in 2026, “Navigating Our Future, Together”, is meant to encapsulate the grouping’s commitment to deepening integration, strengthening economic cooperation and navigating evolving global challenges with unity and cohesion.
The PMO statement said that during PM Wong’s absence, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam will be the Acting Prime Minister on May 7.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong will be Acting Prime Minister from May 8 to 9.
