Russell Palmer
Singapore, April 19, 2022
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong have added a focus on climate and sustainability to the enhanced relationship between the two countries.
Speaking after bilateral talks in Singapore, they announced that a fifth pillar would be added to the agreement on the New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership.
The Pillar will cement relations on ‘Climate Change and the Green Economy.’
New Zealand and Singapore had declared a Four-Pillar Partnership during the previous visit of Ms Ardern to Singapore in 2019- Trade and Economics, Security and Defence, Science, Technology and Innovation and People-to-People links.
An existential threat
Ms Ardern said that Climate Change posed an existential threat.
“Countries are not seeking competitiveness on Climate Change or we should not be seeking to be competitive unless the competition is who can reduce emissions the fastest. Globally, we have entered what must be an age of action, and that includes the private sector. No government can do this alone,” she said.
Mr Lee agreed, calling for stronger global cooperation on Climate Change.
“Climate Change is the existential challenge of our times … we need stronger cooperation amongst most countries. We should work together in several areas including conducting workshops for building joint capacity in responding to Climate Change, improved pricing for emissions trading, and sustainable aviation initiatives,” he said.
Describing Aviation as a major source of carbon emissions, Mr Lee said that New Zealand is at the end of the world and that Singapore was not close to Europe.
A trading hub
Ms Ardern said that Singapore is a trade hub that accounted for 20% of New Zealand’s exports and that there are opportunities to reduce emissions for shipping (including hydrogen fuel) and food (including research into urban farming).
She is in Singapore on an official visit with Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor and a business and media delegation.
They travel to Japan tomorrow for a three-night stay, although three members of the roughly 50 people returned weak positive Covid-19 test results today, believed to be from previous infections. Because of Japan’s entry rules, they will not be allowed to enter.
Regional cooperation, defence and trade
Asked about the increasing influence of China in the region, Ms Ardern said that China had acknowledged the effects of Russia’s war on Ukraine, while Lee said that Singapore was unaware of the details of the Agreement between China and the Solomon Islands.
They expressed concern over the war in Ukraine, which could lead to increased protectionism in the region. However, they reiterated their shared commitment to an “open, inclusive, rules-based and resilient Indo-Pacific region,” including free trade, open markets, and respect for the sovereignty of countries.
Lee welcomed interest from other countries including China and Korea in joining the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement signed in 2020 by New Zealand, Singapore and Chile.
The Agreement aims to support digital economies and trade, and guarantees cooperation on digital identity, policies, emerging technologies, data protection and digital products.
The two leaders also welcomed the efforts of the United States in pursuing an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.
Russell Palmer is Digital Political Journalist at Radio New Zealand. The above report has been published under a Special Agreement with www.rnz.co.nz
