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Singapore appointed 2 idiots to lead the task force.
- Thread starter LaoTze
- Start date
from yahoo.com:
Singapore is looking to launch new vaccinated travel lanes by the end of the year and is in negotiations with several countries including those in Europe and also the U.S., Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong said, signalling continued caution even as other advanced economies open up.
Gan, who is one of the co-chairs of the government’s virus taskforce, said that Singapore is hopeful it can unveil new vaccinated travel lanes “by end of the year or even earlier” given that pilots with Germany and Brunei have gone smoothly.
“Vaccinated travel lanes are going to play an increasingly important role in international travel,” he told Bloomberg News in an interview on Monday. “As more and more countries ramp up their vaccination rate this will become a reality because most countries will begin to insist on the vaccination before they allow travelers to enter the country.”
While Australia is moving away from Covid-Zero isolation by lifting a ban on international travel earlier than anticipated, Singapore is focusing on gradually opening borders using vaccinated travel lanes and other arrangements. At the same time, the country is grappling with a new wave of Covid-19 infections as it looks to forge a path toward reopening its small but trade-reliant economy.
Gan said Singapore needs to step up on efforts to develop vaccinated travel lanes with countries. The government “will see how we can take this one step further, but it will require both sides to discuss how the arrangement will be and what’s the process like,” he later told Bloomberg Television’s Haslinda Amin.
Gan said the government is committed to reopening Singapore gradually after reimposing domestic curbs such as making work-from-home the default and cutting the number of diners to deal with a surge in cases. The country remains largely restricted to foreign travel despite its population touting one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.
While there is social anxiety over daily cases that stayed above 2,000 for six straight days, Gan said that Singapore would continue to publish the total infection tally as this is a part of a World Health Organization reporting requirement, though that can change once Covid-19 is treated as endemic in the country. The government is focusing more on highlighting serious illnesses and critical cases, he said.
With the reimposed curbs kicking in, the pace of increase in virus cases has slowed, Gan said. Even as Singapore expands its healthcare capacity to cope with mostly mild infections, the country needs to push ahead with its home recovery program, he said.
Gan, who will be traveling to the US later this week to meet with Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, also made the following comments:
Singapore eyes more vaccinated travel lanes in cautious reopen
Singapore is looking to launch new vaccinated travel lanes by the end of the year and is in negotiations with several countries including those in Europe and also the U.S., Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong said, signalling continued caution even as other advanced economies open up.
Gan, who is one of the co-chairs of the government’s virus taskforce, said that Singapore is hopeful it can unveil new vaccinated travel lanes “by end of the year or even earlier” given that pilots with Germany and Brunei have gone smoothly.
“Vaccinated travel lanes are going to play an increasingly important role in international travel,” he told Bloomberg News in an interview on Monday. “As more and more countries ramp up their vaccination rate this will become a reality because most countries will begin to insist on the vaccination before they allow travelers to enter the country.”
While Australia is moving away from Covid-Zero isolation by lifting a ban on international travel earlier than anticipated, Singapore is focusing on gradually opening borders using vaccinated travel lanes and other arrangements. At the same time, the country is grappling with a new wave of Covid-19 infections as it looks to forge a path toward reopening its small but trade-reliant economy.
Gan said Singapore needs to step up on efforts to develop vaccinated travel lanes with countries. The government “will see how we can take this one step further, but it will require both sides to discuss how the arrangement will be and what’s the process like,” he later told Bloomberg Television’s Haslinda Amin.
Gan said the government is committed to reopening Singapore gradually after reimposing domestic curbs such as making work-from-home the default and cutting the number of diners to deal with a surge in cases. The country remains largely restricted to foreign travel despite its population touting one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.
While there is social anxiety over daily cases that stayed above 2,000 for six straight days, Gan said that Singapore would continue to publish the total infection tally as this is a part of a World Health Organization reporting requirement, though that can change once Covid-19 is treated as endemic in the country. The government is focusing more on highlighting serious illnesses and critical cases, he said.
With the reimposed curbs kicking in, the pace of increase in virus cases has slowed, Gan said. Even as Singapore expands its healthcare capacity to cope with mostly mild infections, the country needs to push ahead with its home recovery program, he said.
Gan, who will be traveling to the US later this week to meet with Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, also made the following comments:
Supply Chain:
“I think Covid-19 has demonstrated that it is important to ensure that our supply chains remain intact so that our economy can continue,” he said, adding that Singapore is well-positioned to play a critical role in the flow of essential supplies like personal protective equipment, pharmaceuticals and vaccines.CPTPP
Commenting on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the prospects for the U.S. to join the agreement after China and Taiwan have recently expressed interest, Gan said that “if the U.S. is interested in re-entering CPTPP, we’ll be happy to discuss,” though for any interested parties, acceptance into the group will “require the consensus of all the members of the CPTPP.”
from msn.com:
He said they will also continue to protect lives and livelihoods.
Singapore Finance Minister Lawrence Wong addressed the media during the multi-ministry COVID-19 taskforce press conference, thanking Singaporeans for cooperating with the new measures, such as reduced group sizes, that were introduced as part of the stabilisation.
He also thanked the citizens for their patience and understanding about teething issues in the new healthcare protocols.
He reiterated that [Health Minister Ong Ye Kung] said the entire task force, together with reinforcements from the Armed Forces, is working to resolve outstanding issues.
The government continues to monitor the infection situation closely because the full impact of the tightening measures introduced in the stabilisation phase takes at least one week for any results. However, Wong said they are already seeing some signs of slowing in the transmission rate, with the doubling time of cases taking longer from one week to about ten days.
"As we have stated before, we do not expect the new measures to help to bring down the total number of daily cases. The new measures are aimed at slowing the rate of increase of transmission to give us time to stabilise all the healthcare protocols and to strengthen and enhance capacity in our hospital system. Of course, no wave will last forever. Eventually, even after you see some of the results of our latest measures, it is not going to bring the cases down, but it will slow the rate of increase and, at some point, the wave will crest."
According to Wong, many European countries experienced large waves last year, and they went through waves before they had the chance for their people to be vaccinated. He noted Singapore currently has a 98% vaccination rate.
SG remains committed to reopening: Wong
He said they will also continue to protect lives and livelihoods.
Singapore Finance Minister Lawrence Wong addressed the media during the multi-ministry COVID-19 taskforce press conference, thanking Singaporeans for cooperating with the new measures, such as reduced group sizes, that were introduced as part of the stabilisation.
He also thanked the citizens for their patience and understanding about teething issues in the new healthcare protocols.
He reiterated that [Health Minister Ong Ye Kung] said the entire task force, together with reinforcements from the Armed Forces, is working to resolve outstanding issues.
The government continues to monitor the infection situation closely because the full impact of the tightening measures introduced in the stabilisation phase takes at least one week for any results. However, Wong said they are already seeing some signs of slowing in the transmission rate, with the doubling time of cases taking longer from one week to about ten days.
"As we have stated before, we do not expect the new measures to help to bring down the total number of daily cases. The new measures are aimed at slowing the rate of increase of transmission to give us time to stabilise all the healthcare protocols and to strengthen and enhance capacity in our hospital system. Of course, no wave will last forever. Eventually, even after you see some of the results of our latest measures, it is not going to bring the cases down, but it will slow the rate of increase and, at some point, the wave will crest."
According to Wong, many European countries experienced large waves last year, and they went through waves before they had the chance for their people to be vaccinated. He noted Singapore currently has a 98% vaccination rate.
Lawrence congratulates Team Singapore athletes.
Even amidst the global pandemic, there were moments where our nation was represented with pride and joy - 33 athletes across 18 sports, at the highest sporting competition in Tokyo, Japan.
I am very happy to join my fellow Parliamentarians to congratulate Team Singapore's athletes for their sportsmanship and pursuit of excellence at the #TokyoOlympics.
Our talented Paralympian Yip Pin Xiu has also received the President’s Award for Inspiring Achievement today — an award well-deserved.
This year’s games have shown us that the Singapore spirit lives on despite the obstacles.
Overcoming adversity, our athletes soared the nation’s flag higher than ever, and are an inspiration to all of us. We are all very proud of you, Team Singapore.
(
: SportSG and Team Singapore)
Lawrence Wong
7 mins ·Even amidst the global pandemic, there were moments where our nation was represented with pride and joy - 33 athletes across 18 sports, at the highest sporting competition in Tokyo, Japan.
I am very happy to join my fellow Parliamentarians to congratulate Team Singapore's athletes for their sportsmanship and pursuit of excellence at the #TokyoOlympics.
Our talented Paralympian Yip Pin Xiu has also received the President’s Award for Inspiring Achievement today — an award well-deserved.
This year’s games have shown us that the Singapore spirit lives on despite the obstacles.
Overcoming adversity, our athletes soared the nation’s flag higher than ever, and are an inspiration to all of us. We are all very proud of you, Team Singapore.
(
Lawrence wants everyone to be safe.
No one is safe until everyone is safe.
This was one of the points we discussed with Bruneian Minister for Finance and Economy II Dato Dr Amin Liew and other panellists, at the Special Ministerial Conference on ASEAN Digital Public Health today.
In the wake of previous financial crises, countries had come together to strengthen global and regional financial stability. In a similar way, Covid-19 has shown us the need to strengthen our collective response to future pandemics – at the country, regional and even global level.
So we have to continue to strengthen our national and multilateral health and financing systems. The private sector plays a key role too. Public-private partnerships are important in fighting Covid-19, and vaccine development has been the ultimate success story of this.
Lawrence Wong
53 mins ·No one is safe until everyone is safe.
This was one of the points we discussed with Bruneian Minister for Finance and Economy II Dato Dr Amin Liew and other panellists, at the Special Ministerial Conference on ASEAN Digital Public Health today.
In the wake of previous financial crises, countries had come together to strengthen global and regional financial stability. In a similar way, Covid-19 has shown us the need to strengthen our collective response to future pandemics – at the country, regional and even global level.
So we have to continue to strengthen our national and multilateral health and financing systems. The private sector plays a key role too. Public-private partnerships are important in fighting Covid-19, and vaccine development has been the ultimate success story of this.
Lawrence hopes students will take time to have fun.
Today, we celebrate you - our children. Covid-19 has thrown many curveballs; for more than a year, you had to adapt to different ways of learning, interacting and keeping up with your friends.
Some of you have also sent messages to me. Thanks for sharing your challenges and triumphs, and know that throughout this pandemic, you have displayed a grit and resilience way beyond your years.
On Monday, our Pri 3 to 6 students will return to schools while our Pri 1 and 2 students continue with home-based learning for a couple days more.
Whether you are studying at home or in school, I hope you will take the time to have fun, just like this Our Limbang father-daughter duo. Happy Children's Day!
(Thanks to our Limbang residents, Mohamed Jaafar and Saliafiqah, for this cool pic)
Lawrence Wong
11 hrs ·Today, we celebrate you - our children. Covid-19 has thrown many curveballs; for more than a year, you had to adapt to different ways of learning, interacting and keeping up with your friends.
Some of you have also sent messages to me. Thanks for sharing your challenges and triumphs, and know that throughout this pandemic, you have displayed a grit and resilience way beyond your years.
On Monday, our Pri 3 to 6 students will return to schools while our Pri 1 and 2 students continue with home-based learning for a couple days more.
Whether you are studying at home or in school, I hope you will take the time to have fun, just like this Our Limbang father-daughter duo. Happy Children's Day!
(Thanks to our Limbang residents, Mohamed Jaafar and Saliafiqah, for this cool pic)
from straitstimes.com:
SINGAPORE - Building adequate buffers for future pandemics, right-siting resources, and ensuring good outcomes are essential to making good investments in, and financing public healthcare, said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.
At the multilateral and regional level, this means building better mechanisms to prepare for future health crises similar to the Covid-19 pandemic, including risk pooling and the sharing of information, he added.
He was speaking at a panel discussion on the second day of the Special Ministerial Conference for Asean Digital Public Health. The event was held virtually on Wednesday (Oct 6) and Thursday.
Mr Wong noted that after the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the region emerged stronger and more resilient by implementing stronger surveillance systems and multilateral currency swap arrangements such as the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization.
"In the same way, we have to build better mechanisms to prepare for public health crises and emergencies. That can include, at a very simple level, better exchange of information... (and) initiatives like risk pooling and sharing of resources," he said.
Countries should not swing to the extreme and think that because the pandemic led to supply chain dislocation and lower trust in the global marketplace, they must do everything within their borders, he said.
"I don't think it will be a better world... Ultimately, we still need to go back to public- private partnerships. We still need to work collaboratively with different stakeholders, all of whom are important - including philanthropic and non-profit organisations. That is the kind of collective response that will best enable us to prepare for the next pandemic."
Mr Wong acknowledged that healthcare costs continue to escalate and healthcare financing is a concern for finance ministers everywhere. The healthcare trilemma, he said, involves a difficult balance among universal access, high quality and low cost.
In the early years of Singapore, privatised insurance risk pools were fragmented and insurance companies tended to cherry pick "good" risks, which was not ideal as this left certain people without coverage, he said.
This is why Singapore nationalised its hospital insurance system and now has a mandatory universal risk pool, he said, adding that this has to be balanced against over-consumption by users and over-servicing by healthcare providers.
"We have evolved a hybrid system in Singapore where we continue to emphasise the importance of individual and collective responsibility in healthcare. It's not just the state's responsibility," he said.
He outlined three key lessons from Covid-19: First, reduce wastage and costs, and build buffers in the healthcare system to scale up during a public health emergency.
Second, right-site and conserve scarce medical resources and boost primary care. This means that not everyone has to be treated in an acute setting.
Third, look at outcomes and ensure good returns from investments in healthcare spending - not just by spending more or increasing output, but by improving outcomes such as quality of life.
"Something that we are trying to do is shift more spending and interventions upstream," he said, citing lifestyle and diet as some reasons for common diseases today.
"If we can have investments upstream, they will provide better bang for the buck for the taxpayer dollars."
Another panellist, Dato Dr Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah, Minister at the Brunei Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II, touched on a similar point, saying that Brunei has increased its investments in public healthcare specialist centres and is looking to maximise "every dollar spent" to provide better quality healthcare services and carry out preventive treatment.
Under Brunei's Asean chairmanship this year, the Asean Comprehensive Recovery Framework will oversee the implementation of initiatives to ensure a sustainable recovery.
As of August, 40 out of 185 initiatives have been implemented, and 60 are in the process of completion.
Adviser to the Thailand Ministry of Public Health Phusit Prakongsai cited the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, which is financed by tobacco and alcohol consumption taxes, as an example of social returns on healthcare investment.
The foundation carries out various public health programmes, such as campaigns to promote physical activity and to get people to cut down on drinking.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) vice-president Ahmed M. Saeed stressed the need for timely state support, noting that studies have shown that a dollar of aid delivered immediately after a crisis is worth as much as five dollars when delivered later.
The ADB, he said, is working with governments to design risk financing instruments that provide much quicker disbursement in the aftermath of a pandemic.
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank director-general for social infrastructure Hun Kim said that emergency support during the crisis was a quick fix and, now, countries need sustained and commensurate funding for the health sector.
He noted the World Health Organisation's recommendation that countries spend at least 5 per cent of their GDP on health, and that most developing countries in Asia are "far from meeting" these low benchmarks.
He said that multilateral development banks have a role to play in facilitating the localisation of healthcare manufacturing - in other words, boosting the domestic production of pharmaceuticals which are currently dominated by a few multinational companies.
Political will is also needed to build social protection systems including health insurance, he said. But there is a risk that short-sighted governments and politicians, with competing needs for investment spending today, may not want to wait to reap the benefits during the next pandemic, which might be 10 to 20 years away, he said.
"Already, I believe there is a sizeable risk that the lessons from Covid-19 will not be learnt. And this a pity," he added.
Mr Wong observed that the global public health system is fragmented, inadequate, and under-funded.
Noting the recommendations of the Group of 20 (G-20) High Level Independent Panel on Financing the Global Commons for Pandemic Preparedness and Response - which Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam co-chairs - he said countries need better early warning systems and systems for vaccine manufacturing and distribution, all of which require double the current level of spending, an insurance premium "well worth paying".
Initiatives started by the Brunei government as Asean chair, such as regional reserves of medical supplies and strengthening regional capabilities, will also complement these multilateral initiatives, he said, adding that public-private partnerships have proven to be important in fighting the virus.
"Indeed, vaccine development is the ultimate success story of public-private partnerships."
Build better regional and multilateral partnerships to prepare for future pandemics: Lawrence Wong
SINGAPORE - Building adequate buffers for future pandemics, right-siting resources, and ensuring good outcomes are essential to making good investments in, and financing public healthcare, said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.
At the multilateral and regional level, this means building better mechanisms to prepare for future health crises similar to the Covid-19 pandemic, including risk pooling and the sharing of information, he added.
He was speaking at a panel discussion on the second day of the Special Ministerial Conference for Asean Digital Public Health. The event was held virtually on Wednesday (Oct 6) and Thursday.
Mr Wong noted that after the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the region emerged stronger and more resilient by implementing stronger surveillance systems and multilateral currency swap arrangements such as the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization.
"In the same way, we have to build better mechanisms to prepare for public health crises and emergencies. That can include, at a very simple level, better exchange of information... (and) initiatives like risk pooling and sharing of resources," he said.
Countries should not swing to the extreme and think that because the pandemic led to supply chain dislocation and lower trust in the global marketplace, they must do everything within their borders, he said.
"I don't think it will be a better world... Ultimately, we still need to go back to public- private partnerships. We still need to work collaboratively with different stakeholders, all of whom are important - including philanthropic and non-profit organisations. That is the kind of collective response that will best enable us to prepare for the next pandemic."
Mr Wong acknowledged that healthcare costs continue to escalate and healthcare financing is a concern for finance ministers everywhere. The healthcare trilemma, he said, involves a difficult balance among universal access, high quality and low cost.
In the early years of Singapore, privatised insurance risk pools were fragmented and insurance companies tended to cherry pick "good" risks, which was not ideal as this left certain people without coverage, he said.
This is why Singapore nationalised its hospital insurance system and now has a mandatory universal risk pool, he said, adding that this has to be balanced against over-consumption by users and over-servicing by healthcare providers.
"We have evolved a hybrid system in Singapore where we continue to emphasise the importance of individual and collective responsibility in healthcare. It's not just the state's responsibility," he said.
He outlined three key lessons from Covid-19: First, reduce wastage and costs, and build buffers in the healthcare system to scale up during a public health emergency.
Second, right-site and conserve scarce medical resources and boost primary care. This means that not everyone has to be treated in an acute setting.
Third, look at outcomes and ensure good returns from investments in healthcare spending - not just by spending more or increasing output, but by improving outcomes such as quality of life.
"Something that we are trying to do is shift more spending and interventions upstream," he said, citing lifestyle and diet as some reasons for common diseases today.
"If we can have investments upstream, they will provide better bang for the buck for the taxpayer dollars."
Another panellist, Dato Dr Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah, Minister at the Brunei Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II, touched on a similar point, saying that Brunei has increased its investments in public healthcare specialist centres and is looking to maximise "every dollar spent" to provide better quality healthcare services and carry out preventive treatment.
Under Brunei's Asean chairmanship this year, the Asean Comprehensive Recovery Framework will oversee the implementation of initiatives to ensure a sustainable recovery.
As of August, 40 out of 185 initiatives have been implemented, and 60 are in the process of completion.
Adviser to the Thailand Ministry of Public Health Phusit Prakongsai cited the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, which is financed by tobacco and alcohol consumption taxes, as an example of social returns on healthcare investment.
The foundation carries out various public health programmes, such as campaigns to promote physical activity and to get people to cut down on drinking.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) vice-president Ahmed M. Saeed stressed the need for timely state support, noting that studies have shown that a dollar of aid delivered immediately after a crisis is worth as much as five dollars when delivered later.
The ADB, he said, is working with governments to design risk financing instruments that provide much quicker disbursement in the aftermath of a pandemic.
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank director-general for social infrastructure Hun Kim said that emergency support during the crisis was a quick fix and, now, countries need sustained and commensurate funding for the health sector.
He noted the World Health Organisation's recommendation that countries spend at least 5 per cent of their GDP on health, and that most developing countries in Asia are "far from meeting" these low benchmarks.
He said that multilateral development banks have a role to play in facilitating the localisation of healthcare manufacturing - in other words, boosting the domestic production of pharmaceuticals which are currently dominated by a few multinational companies.
Political will is also needed to build social protection systems including health insurance, he said. But there is a risk that short-sighted governments and politicians, with competing needs for investment spending today, may not want to wait to reap the benefits during the next pandemic, which might be 10 to 20 years away, he said.
"Already, I believe there is a sizeable risk that the lessons from Covid-19 will not be learnt. And this a pity," he added.
Mr Wong observed that the global public health system is fragmented, inadequate, and under-funded.
Noting the recommendations of the Group of 20 (G-20) High Level Independent Panel on Financing the Global Commons for Pandemic Preparedness and Response - which Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam co-chairs - he said countries need better early warning systems and systems for vaccine manufacturing and distribution, all of which require double the current level of spending, an insurance premium "well worth paying".
Initiatives started by the Brunei government as Asean chair, such as regional reserves of medical supplies and strengthening regional capabilities, will also complement these multilateral initiatives, he said, adding that public-private partnerships have proven to be important in fighting the virus.
"Indeed, vaccine development is the ultimate success story of public-private partnerships."
Lawrence gives an update.
At our MTF press conference with Gan Kim Yong, Ong Ye Kung and S Iswaran, we gave an update that we will streamline healthcare protocols, strengthen the Home Recovery Programme, continue to provide households with test kits, and open up more Vaccinated Travel Lanes.
As we head into the new normal and continue securing livelihoods, we also need to safeguard lives. And that's why we have also adjusted the vaccination-differentiated safe management measures.
We continue to monitor the situation closely, especially the pressures on our healthcare system, and will provide further updates in due course.
Lawrence Wong
6 hrs ·At our MTF press conference with Gan Kim Yong, Ong Ye Kung and S Iswaran, we gave an update that we will streamline healthcare protocols, strengthen the Home Recovery Programme, continue to provide households with test kits, and open up more Vaccinated Travel Lanes.
As we head into the new normal and continue securing livelihoods, we also need to safeguard lives. And that's why we have also adjusted the vaccination-differentiated safe management measures.
We continue to monitor the situation closely, especially the pressures on our healthcare system, and will provide further updates in due course.
LW and OYK answer questions.
You asked, we answered.
Join Ong Ye Kung and me as we answer your questions on the Covid-19 situation and measures.
Lawrence Wong
7 hrs ·You asked, we answered.
Join Ong Ye Kung and me as we answer your questions on the Covid-19 situation and measures.
Lawrence wishes MAS Happy 50th Anniversary.
Happy 50th anniversary to the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Presenting the awards at its Partners Appreciation Evening last week, I was reminded of how MAS has served Singapore well over the years.
It has maintained price stability for sustained economic growth, developed and built trust and confidence in Singapore’s financial sector, and safeguarded the value of our national savings.
Even as we marked this occasion amidst the pandemic, I am confident that MAS will be able to take on both challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Lawrence Wong
11 hrs ·Happy 50th anniversary to the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Presenting the awards at its Partners Appreciation Evening last week, I was reminded of how MAS has served Singapore well over the years.
It has maintained price stability for sustained economic growth, developed and built trust and confidence in Singapore’s financial sector, and safeguarded the value of our national savings.
Even as we marked this occasion amidst the pandemic, I am confident that MAS will be able to take on both challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
from straitstimes.com:
WASHINGTON - From Singapore's perspective, it is important that the United States continues to engage with Asia-Pacific and build trust in the region, including China, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said.
"The way forward is through discussion, dialogue, through strengthening, deepening mutual understanding, and building trust between countries, and between the US and the region" Mr Gan told an audience at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington on Thursday (Oct 7) local time.
He had a fireside chat-style conversation with the chamber's vice-president and head of international affairs, Mr Myron Brilliant.
Mr Gan's remarks were in response to a question from Mr Brilliant on US trade policy towards China.
Earlier in the week, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a policy speech that the US would soon restart trade negotiations with China.
Mr Gan noted that the effort was not going to happen overnight.
"It will take time and the US also has many interests, many focuses, many priorities," he said.
"I would urge the United States to continue to step up engagement in the region, and to continue dialogue with China. I think we have seen encouraging progress in the discussion between the two countries. Ambassador Tai said she is going to commence a discussion with the Chinese authorities. Therefore, I am optimistic that we will be able to see progress, but it may take time.
"The important thing is that the US must continue to stay engaged in this region and, in particular, with China," he added.
His remarks came amid signs of a potential virtual meeting soon between President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met for six hours with Chinese Communist Party Politburo member and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi in Zurich, Switzerland, on Oct 6.
The White House said the meeting followed up on a Sept 9 phone call between Mr Biden and Mr Xi, in which they discussed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication to "responsibly manage the competition between the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC)".
Mr Sullivan also raised areas where the US and China have an interest in working together to address vital transnational challenges, and ways to manage risks in the relationship, a brief White House statement said.
"Mr Sullivan raised a number of areas where we have concern with the PRC's actions, including actions related to human rights, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, the South China Sea, and Taiwan," the White House said.
"Mr Sullivan made clear that while we will continue to invest in our own national strength and work closely with our allies and partners, we will also continue to engage with the PRC at a senior level to ensure responsible competition."
White House press secretary Jen Psaki, asked about the prospect of a meeting between the two presidents, said on Wednesday: "What came out of the discussions (in Zurich) was an agreement to continue dialogue at a very high level.
"What we've said… and we continue to believe is that leader-level engagement is an important part of our effort to responsibly manage the competition with China, especially given the coalescing of power in Chinese leadership," she added.
"We're still working through what that (virtual meeting) would look like (and) when."
Mr Biden mentioned during the call with Mr Xi last month that he would like to be able to see the Chinese President again, Associated Press reported, citing an unnamed senior administration official.
But Mr Xi has not left China since the Covid-19 pandemic, and is not expected to attend in person a Group of 20 nation summit in Rome, or the United Nations Climate Conference in Glasgow in November.
China's official Xinhua News Agency quoted Mr Yang as saying in Zurich that "China attaches importance to the positive remarks on China-US relations made recently by US President Joe Biden, and China has noticed that the US side said it ... is not seeking a new Cold War".
But he also said China does not define the relationship as "competitive", and urged the US to stop using Taiwan, Hong Kong, human rights and other issues to interfere in what China sees as its internal affairs.
This comes at a time of sharply mounting tension over Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province which must be reunited with the mainland.
China has in recent days sent record numbers of warplanes into Taiwan's air defence identification zone, keeping the island's defences on edge.
On Thursday, US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters at a daily press briefing: "We are very concerned by the PRC's provocative military actions near Taiwan."
"This activity is destabilising, it risks miscalculations, it undermines regional peace and stability. And so we strongly urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan."
Continue dialogue with China, says Gan Kim Yong, amid signs of Xi-Biden summit
WASHINGTON - From Singapore's perspective, it is important that the United States continues to engage with Asia-Pacific and build trust in the region, including China, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said.
"The way forward is through discussion, dialogue, through strengthening, deepening mutual understanding, and building trust between countries, and between the US and the region" Mr Gan told an audience at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington on Thursday (Oct 7) local time.
He had a fireside chat-style conversation with the chamber's vice-president and head of international affairs, Mr Myron Brilliant.
Mr Gan's remarks were in response to a question from Mr Brilliant on US trade policy towards China.
Earlier in the week, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a policy speech that the US would soon restart trade negotiations with China.
Mr Gan noted that the effort was not going to happen overnight.
"It will take time and the US also has many interests, many focuses, many priorities," he said.
"I would urge the United States to continue to step up engagement in the region, and to continue dialogue with China. I think we have seen encouraging progress in the discussion between the two countries. Ambassador Tai said she is going to commence a discussion with the Chinese authorities. Therefore, I am optimistic that we will be able to see progress, but it may take time.
"The important thing is that the US must continue to stay engaged in this region and, in particular, with China," he added.
His remarks came amid signs of a potential virtual meeting soon between President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met for six hours with Chinese Communist Party Politburo member and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi in Zurich, Switzerland, on Oct 6.
The White House said the meeting followed up on a Sept 9 phone call between Mr Biden and Mr Xi, in which they discussed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication to "responsibly manage the competition between the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC)".
Mr Sullivan also raised areas where the US and China have an interest in working together to address vital transnational challenges, and ways to manage risks in the relationship, a brief White House statement said.
"Mr Sullivan raised a number of areas where we have concern with the PRC's actions, including actions related to human rights, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, the South China Sea, and Taiwan," the White House said.
"Mr Sullivan made clear that while we will continue to invest in our own national strength and work closely with our allies and partners, we will also continue to engage with the PRC at a senior level to ensure responsible competition."
White House press secretary Jen Psaki, asked about the prospect of a meeting between the two presidents, said on Wednesday: "What came out of the discussions (in Zurich) was an agreement to continue dialogue at a very high level.
"What we've said… and we continue to believe is that leader-level engagement is an important part of our effort to responsibly manage the competition with China, especially given the coalescing of power in Chinese leadership," she added.
"We're still working through what that (virtual meeting) would look like (and) when."
Mr Biden mentioned during the call with Mr Xi last month that he would like to be able to see the Chinese President again, Associated Press reported, citing an unnamed senior administration official.
But Mr Xi has not left China since the Covid-19 pandemic, and is not expected to attend in person a Group of 20 nation summit in Rome, or the United Nations Climate Conference in Glasgow in November.
China's official Xinhua News Agency quoted Mr Yang as saying in Zurich that "China attaches importance to the positive remarks on China-US relations made recently by US President Joe Biden, and China has noticed that the US side said it ... is not seeking a new Cold War".
But he also said China does not define the relationship as "competitive", and urged the US to stop using Taiwan, Hong Kong, human rights and other issues to interfere in what China sees as its internal affairs.
This comes at a time of sharply mounting tension over Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province which must be reunited with the mainland.
China has in recent days sent record numbers of warplanes into Taiwan's air defence identification zone, keeping the island's defences on edge.
On Thursday, US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters at a daily press briefing: "We are very concerned by the PRC's provocative military actions near Taiwan."
"This activity is destabilising, it risks miscalculations, it undermines regional peace and stability. And so we strongly urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan."
from straitstimes.com:
WASHINGTON - Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai had “substantive discussions” in Washington on Friday (Oct 8), on advancing collaboration in areas such as digital trade, environment and the green economy, supply-chain resilience and ways to support workers.
"Singapore looks forward to deepening our cooperation with the US in these areas to unlock opportunities for our workers and businesses of all sizes, especially SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises)," Mr Gan said in a statement.
The two also co-chaired the Joint Committee Meeting of the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which, at almost 20 years old, needs refreshing to take into account changes, Mr Gan said.
He said: "It's one of the first FTAs the US entered into with an Asian country, and we took this opportunity to look at various aspects… and how to update the agreement which was signed close to 20 years ago.
"It is important for us to refresh (it) given a lot of the landscape has changed and evolved.
"The digital economy has grown significantly; the rules and provision we put in the FTA will no longer be relevant so it is important for us to continue to refresh the agreement - which will create more opportunities for businesses to invest both ways."
He added: "We are going to undertake quite a broad-based review, we set up a working group which will discuss how to go about to upgrade and refresh (the FTA)."
During his visit, Mr Gan also met the US business community, as well as Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, with whom he signed the US-Singapore Partnership for Growth and Innovation.
"We agreed… on a work plan over the next few years to identify key projects and with a clear implementation plan," he said.
The intent is to keep the partnership open to other countries interested in participating, once concepts and projects have been developed and the value of the Partnership has been demonstrated, he said.
"Businesses continue to be interested in Singapore and want to know a lot more about Singapore," he said. "The business community and the administration are also interested in the broader Asean and Asia-Pacific region," he added.
"They all continue to be keen to engage the Asia-Pacific region, and I encouraged them," he said.
"There are quite a few interesting and emerging areas of opportunities. One example is the digital economy. I think the digital economy is going to be a key engine of growth for many countries.
"All of us have experienced the transformation and transition to a digital economy - especially during the Covid-19 (pandemic), many businesses done physically in the past have gone on to digital platforms."
He added: "Another area of great interest is the green economy. Sustainability is a key topic, whether it has been in my discussions with the administration or the business community - and therefore business opportunities in the green economy and sustainability is something they are very keen to explore and find opportunities in Singapore as well as in the region."
There was also interest in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - the successor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which the US left in 2017.
Mr Gan said he had shared the status of the CPTPP and the fact that a lot of parties had indicated interest in joining the trade pact.
"The US was the original architect of the TPP," he noted. "Whether they are able to rejoin the CPTPP they will have to consider very carefully.
"But the US is interested to continue to engage the Asia-Pacific region, whether it is through rejoining the CPTPP or exploring other platforms and frameworks for collaboration."
He said he had suggested that the US and Singapore could collaborate in the digital economy area, and such arrangements could later expand to other areas.
S'pore, US to deepen trade and business ties, will upgrade FTA
WASHINGTON - Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai had “substantive discussions” in Washington on Friday (Oct 8), on advancing collaboration in areas such as digital trade, environment and the green economy, supply-chain resilience and ways to support workers.
"Singapore looks forward to deepening our cooperation with the US in these areas to unlock opportunities for our workers and businesses of all sizes, especially SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises)," Mr Gan said in a statement.
The two also co-chaired the Joint Committee Meeting of the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which, at almost 20 years old, needs refreshing to take into account changes, Mr Gan said.
He said: "It's one of the first FTAs the US entered into with an Asian country, and we took this opportunity to look at various aspects… and how to update the agreement which was signed close to 20 years ago.
"It is important for us to refresh (it) given a lot of the landscape has changed and evolved.
"The digital economy has grown significantly; the rules and provision we put in the FTA will no longer be relevant so it is important for us to continue to refresh the agreement - which will create more opportunities for businesses to invest both ways."
He added: "We are going to undertake quite a broad-based review, we set up a working group which will discuss how to go about to upgrade and refresh (the FTA)."
During his visit, Mr Gan also met the US business community, as well as Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, with whom he signed the US-Singapore Partnership for Growth and Innovation.
"We agreed… on a work plan over the next few years to identify key projects and with a clear implementation plan," he said.
The intent is to keep the partnership open to other countries interested in participating, once concepts and projects have been developed and the value of the Partnership has been demonstrated, he said.
"Businesses continue to be interested in Singapore and want to know a lot more about Singapore," he said. "The business community and the administration are also interested in the broader Asean and Asia-Pacific region," he added.
"They all continue to be keen to engage the Asia-Pacific region, and I encouraged them," he said.
"There are quite a few interesting and emerging areas of opportunities. One example is the digital economy. I think the digital economy is going to be a key engine of growth for many countries.
"All of us have experienced the transformation and transition to a digital economy - especially during the Covid-19 (pandemic), many businesses done physically in the past have gone on to digital platforms."
He added: "Another area of great interest is the green economy. Sustainability is a key topic, whether it has been in my discussions with the administration or the business community - and therefore business opportunities in the green economy and sustainability is something they are very keen to explore and find opportunities in Singapore as well as in the region."
There was also interest in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - the successor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which the US left in 2017.
Mr Gan said he had shared the status of the CPTPP and the fact that a lot of parties had indicated interest in joining the trade pact.
"The US was the original architect of the TPP," he noted. "Whether they are able to rejoin the CPTPP they will have to consider very carefully.
"But the US is interested to continue to engage the Asia-Pacific region, whether it is through rejoining the CPTPP or exploring other platforms and frameworks for collaboration."
He said he had suggested that the US and Singapore could collaborate in the digital economy area, and such arrangements could later expand to other areas.
Lawrence spoke at the IPS.
This morning, I shared about our fiscal strategies at the Institute of Policy Studies - IPS 35th Singapore Economic Roundtable.
Our fiscal policy thus far has underpinned Singapore’s success. Going forward, we face major long-term challenges: inequality, an ageing population and climate change.
We will tackle these challenges by prioritising efficiency and equity, strengthening our revenue resilience, and upholding a fair and progressive tax system.
Let's work together towards an even fairer, greener and more inclusive society.
Read my full speech here: https://go.gov.sg/ips35thser
Lawrence Wong
2 hrs ·This morning, I shared about our fiscal strategies at the Institute of Policy Studies - IPS 35th Singapore Economic Roundtable.
Our fiscal policy thus far has underpinned Singapore’s success. Going forward, we face major long-term challenges: inequality, an ageing population and climate change.
We will tackle these challenges by prioritising efficiency and equity, strengthening our revenue resilience, and upholding a fair and progressive tax system.
Let's work together towards an even fairer, greener and more inclusive society.
Read my full speech here: https://go.gov.sg/ips35thser
Lawrence gets his booster.
Booster done! If you are offered a booster, please take it as soon as you can. It will strengthen your protection against the virus, and reduce your chances of falling seriously ill should you be infected
Lawrence Wong
2 hrs ·Booster done! If you are offered a booster, please take it as soon as you can. It will strengthen your protection against the virus, and reduce your chances of falling seriously ill should you be infected
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