S'pore needs 'active foreign policy' to express its views

Constant engagement is key in a time of global uncertainty: President Tharman

- Natasha Ann Zachariah

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN of global uncertainty, needs an active foreign policy that engagement requires constant with other countries, said President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on the sidelines of a state visit to Brunei.

- In a time Singapore Doing so allows the Republic to express its views, as well as find ways to keep up and update relationships with other countries, he added. Singapore does this with the largest players such as China, the United States, the European Union and India, as well as actively in the region.

Such engagements are carried out at various levels, including political leaders and senior officials, as well as through the business community, Mr Tharman said on Jan 26. He was on a three-day state visit to Brunei that started on Jan 24 - his first overseas state visit since taking office.

With the world order gradually eroding and splintering, Singapore, as a small nation, has to take the world as it is, Mr Tharman said.

He added: "We express our views, stand by our principles, but we have to learn to interact with countries as they evolve." By adopting an active foreign policy, Singapore does not expect to shape the world according to what it thinks it should be, but ensure that national interests are served as the rest of the world gets reshaped, he said.