Singapore, Germany to work towards strategic partnership

BERLIN — Singapore and Germany will work towards upgrading their relations to a strategic partnership, in recognition of the "growing depth and breadth" of bilateral ties.

This was announced by Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on April 9, after Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.

The leaders took stock of the countries' long-standing and multifaceted bilateral ties, which have strengthened over the decades, said MFA in a statement.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying co-operation in existing and emerging areas, and exchanged views on regional and international issues.

In a social media post, DPM Wong said he was glad to have called on Scholz, and was happy that both sides agreed to work towards upgrading relations to a strategic partnership.

DPM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, is on an official visit to Germany from April 8 to 10 and France from April 10 to 13.

France is the only European Union (EU) member state that has a strategic partnership — which strengthens existing ties and launches new areas of bilateral co-operation — with Singapore now.

DPM Wong also called on German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on April 8.

MFA said they they reaffirmed the warm and substantive partnership between Singapore and Germany, discussed ways to further enhance co-operation, and how both sides could navigate an increasingly complicated world, as like-minded countries that share a common world view on multilateralism and a rules-based world order.

DPM Wong was also hosted to lunch by German Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck on April 9.

They noted the growing economic relations between both countries, and welcomed Germany's interest in deepening co-operation with the region, as well as opportunities to reinforce economic ties between ASEAN and the EU, MFA said.

DPM Wong said in a social media post that he and Dr Habeck had a fruitful discussion on advancing economic collaboration, including avenues to boost Asean-EU co-operation in trade and the digital economy.

He also met about 300 overseas Singaporeans at a reception at Hotel Adlon Kempinski on April 9.

In his address, DPM Wong said it was their "kampung spirit" that brought them from different parts of Germany to the event in Berlin.

Singapore truly values its longstanding relationship with Germany, he said, especially in a world that is undergoing tumultuous changes. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the world has to brace itself for more competition and possibly conflicts in the world, he added.

"That is why it is so important for countries to come together to forge closer partnerships and to see how they can work together to shape better global outcomes," he said.

Singapore and Germany are like-minded in many areas, and share common strategic perspectives around upholding the rule of law, multilateralism, open trading systems and pushing back against protectionism and economic fragmentation, DPM Wong said.

He noted that Germany has provided assistance to Singapore in its early years of development. For example, German companies have been in Singapore for a long time and their presence has continued to grow to over 2,300 German companies now. More of them are keen to use the Republic as a base to expand to Asia, he said.

He thanked the Singaporeans in Germany for being ambassadors on the ground, and told them that "even though you are overseas in a different land, you still remain important and valuable members of our Singapore family."

"And as part of this family, let's all do our part to make sure that our little red dot continues to shine brightly, even in a complex, dangerous and volatile world."

The reception served local food such as chicken rice, laksa, nasi lemak and pandan chiffon cakes — a treat for all who missed Singapore cuisine.

Among them was Mahendran Reddy, a 50-year-old vice-president of global ecosystem development with a German company.

"I miss the three Fs - family, friends and food like roti prata and sliced fish soup from Novena, where I used to live," he told The Straits Times.

He took a train for over two hours from Hamburg to attend his first overseas Singaporean reception since moving to Germany about two years ago. His German wife and two daughters could not make it for the event.

Ayden Zubair, a 13-year-old student who moved from Bedok to Berlin over six years ago, craves for chicken rice, salted egg chips and Wall's Solero split lime ice cream.

His father, Mohammad Zubair, 46, is a technologist with a German company.

"I also wish to tell DPM Wong that I'm proud to be Singaporean because of the good education system, and the clean and safe environment," Ayden said.

Asked if he knows Singlish, Ayden, who speaks English, German, Spanish and some Malay, replied: "I know a bit lah."

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.