Singapore eyes deeper Asean integration, wider partnerships as 2027 chair

Singapore's foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, has expressed the country's intention to deepen Asean integration and forge wider partnerships during Singapore's upcoming chairmanship of the bloc in 2027. Speaking at a dialogue session at the Milken Institute Asia Summit 2026, Balakrishnan emphasized that progress in these areas would be crucial for the success of Singapore's chairmanship amid global uncertainties.

He stated that if Asean's economy continues to grow and is more integrated, and if the bloc's strengths in energy and technology are combined effectively, the whole would be greater than the sum of its parts.

Balakrishnan also highlighted Singapore's commitment to broadening Asean's partnerships beyond its traditional dialogue partners, including collaborations with the EU, Africa, South America, Canada, and the Pacific Islands. He stressed that Asean should stand together and achieve significant growth driven by the AI boom and semiconductor demand, citing countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia that have experienced encouraging GDP growth during the first half of 2026.

Despite the current global uncertainties, Balakrishnan expressed confidence in Asean's potential for growth in the next 20 years and urged the bloc to be assessed on its own merits, without being seen as a battleground for superpower competition or proxy wars.