Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong Emphasizes Singapore's Continued Prosperity Amidst Reshaping Global Trade Order at Singapore Maritime Week Opening

A profound discussion has taken place regarding how Singapore can maintain its leading position amidst an increasingly unstable international environment. On March 24th, Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, speaking at the opening of Singapore Maritime Week, presented a path for Singapore to prosper amidst the changing global trade landscape through strategic policy shifts.

Senior Minister Lee began his speech by recalling how Singapore's small and open economy had thrived over the past 60 years in an era of globalization. He explained that at that time, a relatively peaceful and stable world order was maintained, led by the United States and supported by European and Asian allies, and that multilateral institutions such as the United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB), and World Trade Organization (WTO) were established.

He further added that international laws and treaties, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, were negotiated and adopted, and that large and small nations alike generally recognized these international rules and norms.

Senior Minister Lee emphasized that a consensus had formed that economic liberalization and free trade would benefit all nations, and many countries achieved economic growth based on this, with not only small economies like Singapore but also large economies like the United States and China benefiting.

Investments by multinational corporations in developing countries opened up export markets and promoted economic growth, and the boom in international trade led to the growth of the global maritime industry. Consequently, he analyzed that free trade had a positive impact on the entire global economy by deepening the international division of labor, building integrated supply chains, and increasing overall efficiency.

However, Senior Minister Lee warned that the world is currently undergoing a reshaping of the global trade landscape due to strategic policy changes, and that the entire global industry, including Singapore's maritime sector, must actively prepare for the changes ahead.

While he did not mention specific countermeasures, he suggested that Singapore, in the face of rapidly changing international affairs, should not rest on its past successes but actively seek strategies to respond to these changes.

This speech by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong is evaluated as an important opportunity to glimpse Singapore's strategic considerations and efforts to achieve continuous growth and prosperity in an increasingly uncertain global economic environment. Attention is focused on what specific policy changes Singapore will implement in the future to overcome challenges and create new opportunities.