ASEAN must grow with less emissions, look to external partners to finance regional power grid: PM Wong

VIENTIANE: Countries in Southeast Asia need to grow but they must do so “with less emissions than before”, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Wednesday (Oct 9) at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Vientiane.
“To meet our emissions target, we will need to transition faster to low carbon and renewable energy solutions,” Mr Wong told fellow leaders.
“It is not easy for us to do this as individual countries, but as a group, as ASEAN, we can move much faster.”
He called for clear regulatory and commercial frameworks for cross-border energy trade in order to achieve the planned ASEAN power grid – an initiative to help the bloc meet its sustainable goals.
As ASEAN works towards creating a framework for subsea power cable development by the end of this year, it can take reference from the existing regional one for fibre-optic cables which is already in place, noted Mr Wong.
The bloc should also leverage interest from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other external partners, to bring in financing for the regional power grid, which he called a “critical project”.
Mr Wong also spoke about the huge potential for the ASEAN digital market, adding that it will be an important enabler for small and medium enterprises.
This potential can be unlocked with the conclusion of an ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement by next year, he said.
“We should harness new digital technologies to push the frontiers but we also need to manage the risks of new technologies,” noted Mr Wong.
He said the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics will facilitate the development of artificial intelligence models across Southeast Asia in a safe and trusted manner, and can be used to shape global norms.
Mr Wong also called for the strengthening of regional cybersecurity, as it is a critical enabler of the digital space.
Moving quickly in new areas like the digital and green economies will help deliver better lives for people within ASEAN, and help the bloc remain relevant to its external partners, said Mr Wong.
Mr Wong told his fellow leaders that ASEAN’s external environment is becoming more troubled and turbulent.
“There are wars in Europe and the Middle East. There is growing mistrust and suspicion between America and China. And more and more countries are prioritising national security over economic efficiency and free trade,” he said.
As a result, the global economy is fragmenting, and there will be consequences for ASEAN, he said.
Closer to the region, the South China Sea is a “live and immediate issue, with real risks of an accident spiralling into conflict”, said Mr Wong.
However, he said that this is not the first time the bloc has been confronted with such an uncertain geopolitical environment, citing how it set up the East Asia Summit as the world transitioned to the new post-Cold War era about 20 years ago.
“Our task ahead is to ensure that ASEAN remains relevant and effective in this new geopolitical context,” he said. “For that, we will need to maintain unity of purpose.”
Ultimately, the test of ASEAN’s unity lies in how it deals with internal challenges, said Mr Wong. He highlighted Myanmar as one such issue and called for the upholding of the Five-Point Consensus.
“Unfortunately, there has been no political progress and in fact the fighting in Myanmar has worsened,” said Mr Wong.
Noting that the conflict is really a domestic situation, he said: “We have to be realistic about what ASEAN can do, and at the same time, patient and steadfast in pursuing efforts towards peaceful resolution.”
He said the rest of ASEAN cannot afford to go back to business as usual with Myanmar and should maintain its positions towards the country, especially on its non-political representation at summits and foreign ministers’ meetings.
Mr Wong said that moving forward, ASEAN needs to effectively integrate Timor-Leste, and fully support its efforts to fulfill a roadmap that had been agreed for its accession to the bloc.
Mr Wong, who became prime minister in May, thanked his fellow leaders for a warm welcome to his first ASEAN summit.
“ASEAN has been critical to the peace, stability, and growth of our region. So ASEAN will remain a cornerstone of Singapore’s foreign policy,” he said.
He said the bloc needs to ensure continued peace and stability in the region, by continuing to keep the architecture of the region open and inclusive and to engage all external parties.
“Our partners must commit to inclusivity, respect for international law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes,” added Mr Wong.
The opening ceremony of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits took place on Wednesday at the National Convention Centre in the Laotian capital.
Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and President Thongloun Sisoulith gave speeches during the ceremony. Attendees were treated to dance performances, and Southeast Asian leaders also took the traditional group photo on stage.
In the afternoon, Mr Wong met with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on the side of the summit.
“It’s our first in-person meeting following our phone call last month. SG and Thailand are old friends. I look forward to working with PM Paetongtarn to further strengthen our bilateral ties,” he wrote in a post on X.
He then attended a meeting between the ASEAN leaders and representatives from the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly. The body serves as the centre of communication and information-sharing between the parliaments of the member states.
Later in the evening, Mr Wong will meet with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh, and with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim separately.