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SINGAPORE – No nation can tackle the coronavirus crisis alone, and countries large and small need to work together in an enabling strategic environment and through a regional architecture that fosters peace and stability, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said. , who emphasized the need for cooperation. in promoting the multilateralism of vaccines, the exchange of technology and mutual support for the recovery of the economy.
Noting these points on Saturday (November 14), as he and his fellow ASEAN leaders met with key partners during the virtual 15th East Asia Summit, Prime Minister Lee said: “In the midst of a Global pandemic, more than ever, cooperation is necessary to control the spread of Covid-19 and rebuild the world economy. “
The annual East Asia Summit (EAS) brings together ASEAN, as well as Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States, and represents more than half of the world’s population and the product gross domestic.
ASEAN leaders were joined by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the United States was represented by National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien and India by Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.
The EAS plays a key role as the primary forum for dialogue on broader strategic, political and economic issues, and Mr. Lee noted that it has become an integral part of the open and inclusive regional architecture centered on ASEAN.
“Over the years, various concepts of regional engagement have been proposed and debated. Singapore welcomes further engagement, but any proposal must uphold Asean’s principles of centrality and unity, and be rooted in a world order. open, inclusive and rules-based by international law, “said Mr. Lee, adding that this should also be in line with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, which guides cooperation in the region.
In his comments to other leaders, Mr. Lee raised the need to promote vaccine multilateralism, a point he had raised in separate meetings with other leaders at the 37th ASEAN Summit and related meetings.
“No country is safe until all countries are. A vaccine that works is part of the solution to allow countries to finally come out of this crisis,” he said, adding that “fortunately” most of the vaccine candidates Covid-19 leaders in the world come from countries participating in the EAS.
He said Singapore is ready to contribute in this area. It is investing heavily in research and development and developing vaccine manufacturing capabilities to meet the needs of the region.
Many EAS participating nations have embraced innovative technology solutions such as contact tracing and improved testing capabilities, and countries must share this technology to help fight the pandemic, Mr. Lee said.
“We must learn from the experiences of others, open up software codes wherever possible and foster interoperability where possible,” he said, noting that platforms such as the Asean Smart Cities Network can facilitate this exchange of ideas and instill a spirit of mutual sharing and support.
Mr. Lee also encouraged countries to support each other in economic recovery, which he said would mitigate the long-term global economic impact of the pandemic on people and businesses.
“It is essential to maintain an open, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system,” he said.
Lee added that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), to be signed on Sunday, will stimulate business confidence and drive the region’s economic recovery through better market access, comprehensive trade facilitation measures, and expanded commitments in areas like e-commerce. and intellectual property rights.
He added that the statements adopted by the leaders at the summit symbolize the “strong political will” to address common challenges such as fighting terrorism, cybersecurity and cross-border pollution.
He also welcomed the progress made in the ASEAN-China negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, adding that there is “a lot of work ahead” to reach an effective and substantive agreement.
Mr Lee said: “I am confident that despite the pandemic, EAS Member States will not lose sight of these other priorities,” he said.
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