Singapore looks ahead with cautious optimism

The following is a message from Singaporean Ambassador Peter Tan Hai Chuan to mark Singapore’s National Day. ― Ed.

Singapore celebrated its 46th National Day on Tuesday with some cause for optimism. Despite the global market uncertainties, Singapore’s economy still grew by 0.5 percent on a year-on-year basis. This comes on the back of its strong economic performance in the first quarter of 2011, where the Singapore economy grew by 8.3 percent. Singapore’s unemployment rate remains low at 2.1 percent, with total employment having grown by 22,800 in the second quarter of 2011. 

Singaporeans work hard but we also play hard and we continue to shape our physical landscape, creating an oasis where Singaporeans and friends of Singapore can live, work and play. “Gardens by the Bay,” comprising three distinctive waterfront gardens in the heart of the Marina Bay area featuring a visual spectacle of tropical and temperate-climate flowering plants and foliage, is scheduled to open officially in June 2012. This will surely complement the already buzzing nearby precinct of the Marina Bay Financial Center and the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

Elsewhere, Singapore continues to contribute to discussions on important global issues. For example, Singapore held the Singapore International Water Week 2011 from July 2-6, providing policymakers, business leaders and water experts from the international water community with a global platform to exchange views, explore opportunities and identify solutions to the pressing global search for sustainable water solutions. Singapore had also organized the World Cities Summit 2011 from June 28-July 1 to address growing concerns about rapid urbanization and population growth. The summit brought together policymakers and urban planners from across the world to identify innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges facing cities today.

In addition, to contribute to discussions on the growing challenges posed by the urgent need to meet growing energy demands against the backdrop of the long-term challenge posed by climate change, Singapore will also be hosting the Singapore International Energy Week 2011 from Oct. 31-Nov. 4. The event will bring together leading politicians, business people and thinkers to discuss international energy trends and solutions needed for the world to balance its needs for energy security, environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness.

Singapore’s commitment to sustainable development extends beyond the convention halls, to the nature reserves that entertain while educating the public on important messages of conservation. The “River Safari,” Asia’s first river-themed nature park and home of Singapore’s own pair of giant pandas, will provide visitors with the chance to journey through the world’s greatest rivers and learn the importance of conservation through an up-close and personal view of freshwater animals in their natural habitats. The “River Safari” is scheduled to open in the first half of 2012.

Looking back, Singapore’s bilateral relations with the Republic of Korea have gone from strength to strength over the past years. President Lee Myung-bak’s bilateral visit to Singapore in June 2010, where he also delivered the keynote address for the Shangri-La Dialogue and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s participation in the Seoul G20 Summit in November 2010, at the gracious invitation of President Lee Myung-bak, clearly symbolizes the comfort-level that have been built up between the leaders of both countries. Strategically, both countries share many common interests. As small countries lacking in natural resources, we are dependent on a free and open international trading system.

Both countries have also worked well together in the various multi-lateral fora like the United Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. South Korea has also been a valuable partner in ASEAN and we look forward to its energetic participation in the various ASEAN projects. Singapore shares South Korea’s desire for peace and stability in the region and its commitment for disputes, be they historical or territorial to be settled in an amicable fashion. We also think that a Korean Peninsula that is stable and nuclear-free is crucial for regional security and development. In this regard, we would like to commend the Republic of Korea for its hosting of the Nuclear Security Summit in 2012.

The bolstering of bilateral relations at the political-level has also been augmented at the people-to-people level. In 2010, the number of Korean tourists arriving in Singapore rose by 33 percent. There has also been an increase in Singaporean tourists visiting South Korea, which rose by 18 percent. This rise in tourism figures reflects the growing mutual interest.

Ssangyong Engineering & Construction’s construction of the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel symbolizes the heights that both countries can achieve when working together. Like Ssangyong, many Korean companies have had long-standing relations with Singapore. We appreciate the fact that there are more than 950 Korean companies in Singapore including the likes of CJ Group, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, SK Group, STX Group, Daewoo International, Hanjin Shipping, MiGwang/Clearlab and Sunwoo Entertainment. We welcome more Korean companies to take advantage of Singapore’s pro-business environment and ideal location in Asia to grow their regional businesses, develop innovative solutions and tap the international talent residing in Singapore.

Looking ahead, there is huge potential for both countries to deepen their collaboration. Moving beyond the traditional cooperation in each other’s countries, the complementary skills sets that both countries are able to bring to the table will allow us to complement each other in projects in third countries like the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Project in China, the Batam, Bintan, Karimun Special Economic Zone in Indonesia, the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor in India and the Haiphong Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park in Vietnam.

In the area of art and culture, there is also much room for both sides to explore collaboration opportunities. Exhibitions like October’s “Korean Eye” art exhibition in Singapore opened the eyes of many Singaporeans to the world of contemporary Korean art. Singapore and South Korea have committed to the establishment of a Korean Cultural Centre in Singapore. Its establishment represents a step in the right direction and it will serve to further deepen the cultural understanding between our people. Conversely, Singapore also has much to offer. On our part, we would like to share interesting aspects of Singapore’s living heritage with the South Korean people, such as the Peranakan culture which is a unique hybrid culture formed by centuries past inter-marriages between foreign traders and local Singaporean women.

Just as South Korea has been so successful in branding itself globally through its high-tech consumer products, pop culture as well as Korean cuisine, I think we can do our bit to generate a greater awareness of Singapore in South Korea through the constant promotion of Singapore’s multi-cultural “makan” (cuisine) as well as new tourist attractions and international events in Singapore. This will go some way to helping South Koreans better understand and appreciate our uniquely Singapore experiences.

I believe that with the kind and continuing support from our Korean friends, we can together build stronger and closer Korea-Singapore relations in the years to come. On this auspicious occasion of Singapore’s 46th National Day, let me wish all Singaporeans living in South Korea and all Koreans and friends of Singapore a happy and prosperous year ahead.