DM: Excellency, you have a beautiful garden at your residence which reminds me of Singapore because of its lush greenery.
H.E. Laurence Bay: We are an urban island that is home to over five million inhabitants in just 720 square kilometers. Our goal since independence in 1965 is to be a “Garden City”. Because we lacked land, we needed spaces that were not only orderly but also pleasant to live in. Trees, shrubs and flowers are the best path to making spaces liveable. Urban development is inevitable but nature and biodiversity must be protected because they are integral to our well-being. Through conscientious planning, Singapore today has the highest density of greenery in the world according to the 2017 Green View Index. With seven million trees, it has now become a “City in a Garden”. And we will plant more. Actually, we have set for ourselves rather ambitious goals in the next few decades: to be a “zero waste” nation and further reduce our carbon footprint.
Many countries have pledged to do more for the climate but very few, if any, are doing what they say. Will those goals remain only goals?
Record temperatures, severe weather events and rising sea levels are real dangers to a small island like Singapore. So we are putting our money where our mouth is. As we study how to shape a carbon-neutral portfolio, we are pushing for clean energy while taking guidance from the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. And rather than divide between “polluting” and “non-polluting” parties, we will work closely with enterprises to achieve sustainability. This may sound lofty but it is really pragmatism in action. Looking at the millions marching for “Fridays for Future”, even the most cynical of sceptics cannot deny what the priorities are – and it is all the better if we can do our part together for the environment.
Singapore is considered one of the most important financial centres in Asia. What is the secret of your success?
Singapore is central, stable and skilled. We are strategically located at the heart of Southeast Asia with world-class airport and seaport facilities. Within a 7-hour flight radius, businesses have access to half the world’s population. In terms of digital infrastructure, we are the most “network ready” country with fibre connections in every home and office. We are on track to roll out 5G mobile networks this year.
Secondly, we are stable. Our government is committed to implementing pragmatic policies. Our public institutions are free of corruption and there is a high regard for the rule of law. This predictability and efficiency are key to any business.
Thirdly, we are highly-skilled. We don’t have natural resources. We have always invested heavily - about six percent of our annual budget - in educating our population because human capital is all we’ve got. The latest PISA rankings attest to the quality education we provide for every child, including those from lower income families. But the end of school does not mean the end of learning. For workers, we fund their training and re-training. In the 5G digital era, we are keenly aware that we must constantly upgrade ourselves in order to seize the opportunities that artificial intelligence, automation and other transformative technologies present. Our workers understand the inevitable trade-offs but can be assured that government and businesses will support them in the transition.
But surely there is a secret ingredient or sauce in your recipe for success?
H.E.: I would say the principle of meritocracy has served us well since independence. Every Singaporean, regardless of skin colour, religion or gender, has an equal chance of success. My late grandparents were immigrants from southern China. They made the difficult journey to Singapore in the 1930s. Then war came. My grandmother survived the war but not my grandfather. She was uneducated but singlehandedly raised two children, sent them to school and saw them set up their own homes. If she had not worked hard her whole life, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Your government is now focusing on promoting the development of modern technologies in the digital age. How is this being implemented?
Five years ago, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced Singapore’s aim to be the first “Smart Nation” in the world. Since then we have restructured with a citizen-centric approach. This means that technological development must lead to access to quality employment, better public services, and higher standards of living. It must be practical and intuitive. Underpinning all our initiatives are cyber security and sustainability. Thus far, the sectors that we have identified include transport and logistics, preventive and customised healthcare, and optimised education. We welcome home-grown and overseas talents to develop and co-create solutions. A healthy and thriving eco-system is in place, and we will continue cultivating it such that it flourishes.
According to a report in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, your government recently banned electric scooters due to too many accidents. There is resistance in Berlin as well when it comes to electric scooters. What is your opinion on this?
A few months ago, I was walking in Singapore when an e-scooter suddenly came very close to me from behind. It was dark and there was no warning. Fortunately, I veered away before it crashed into me. Many others were less lucky. There has been one fatality in Singapore. But it is one too many and the government decided to act quickly and disallow e-scooters on footpaths. So it is not a complete ban. E-scooters are permissible as long as users travel on designated cycling paths.
It was a difficult decision as livelihoods were affected. But public safety is paramount and the most vulnerable – in this case, pedestrians which include children – need to be protected. More regulations will need to be put in place as we introduce new technology. Infrastructure too. In the case of the e-scooters, Singapore is now planning to construct an additional 310 kilometers of “green paths” by 2025 so that cyclists and users of electric scooters can commute without jeopardising the safety of non-users.
The new trade agreement between Singapore and the European Union (EUSFTA) came into force on November 21, eliminating all remaining tariffs on EU goods and a lot of bureaucracy. What impetus do you hope to gain from this?
We are grateful for Germany’s support for the EUSFTA. There is still some work to be done. Concretely, we hope that the Bundestag will ratify the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement (EUSIPA) and the EU-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (ESPCA) expeditiously. The EUSIPA is the first self-standing investment protection agreement that the EU has negotiated with a non-European country.
The EUSFTA needs to be seen in the context of the other FTAs that Singapore has pursued, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP-11) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the latter of which is due to be signed soon. They are all of strategic importance to Singapore; the EUSFTA is no exception. There are, of course, bilateral benefits, but we see the EUSFTA as a catalyst for further opportunities. The ambition is to eventually negotiate an EU-ASEAN FTA. Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, and the EU should capitalise on the momentum. It concluded an FTA with Vietnam last year and is negotiating with Indonesia and Malaysia. An EU-ASEAN FTA will boost exports tremendously and create many good jobs, and strengthen the international economic and trading system. The diversification of trading partners is important because it brings about resilience in a climate of economic uncertainty.
I know that not everyone in Europe favours FTAs. Some fear that EU institutions will be compromised by the necessary give-and-take in negotiations, while others are afraid of the EU being inundated with cheap, low quality goods. But I think trade deals are good for economies overall and are indispensable tools in geopolitics. Trade pacts bind like-minded nations to one another. They could be used to spur improvements in social and environmental standards.
Germany and Singapore have maintained very good bilateral relations for many years. In addition, both countries are important economic partners for each other. Which highlights in the cooperation can we expect in 2020?
Our ties are closer than ever. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was the first German President to make a State Visit to Singapore in November 2017, and President Halimah Yacob was the first Singapore President to make a State Visit to Germany in December 2019. During her visit, we concluded a slew of agreements and MOUs in the economic and education fields. These have laid the foundation for a forward-looking bilateral partnership ready for the next decade.
Our cooperation takes place in the context of the broader geopolitical and global economic landscape that is very much in a constant state of flux. I expect to see more intensive dialogue between our two sides because it is important to understand each other’s perspective. A new generation of leaders is coming to the fore. My main task is to bring both sets of leadership together, get them acquainted and have them discuss the key issues of the day.
2020 is the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, so I hope culture could be a focal point of our collaboration. In addition, Singapore is hoping to inscribe our hawker culture in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural assets. I hope we can introduce more varieties of Singapore street food to our German friends.
Singapore is one of the ten most visited metropolises in the world. Tourist highlights include “Gardens by the Bay”; or the landmark, the Merlion. What else can you recommend to our readers?
„The Jewel“ comes to mind. It is a beautiful structure located at the heart of Changi Airport, and inside it sits the world’s highest indoor waterfall. The 40-metre tall „Rain Vortex“, which is recycled from collected rainwater, is a sight to behold. Gardens by the Bay might be too manicured for some. For nature lovers who prefer rustic trails and hikes, we have four nature reserves – the Central Catchment, Bukit Timah, Labrador and Sungei Buloh. Central Catchment and Bukit Timah are now a single forest body once again after the addition of an ecological bridge in 2013 to facilitate animal movements and now we’ve got pangolins, macaques, mousedeer, among others using the bridge!
The night life in Singapore is vibrant. It is very safe to walk late at night, and public transport is readily available. Whenever I am in Singapore, I like to get a few of my friends to meet for a plate of „satay“. It is a traditional Malay dish of either chicken or mutton skewers grilled over an open charcoal fire and served with peanut gravy. It is a fantastic mix of savoury and sweet. I personally like to eat satay at Lau Pa Sat, which used to be an old wet market but has since been refurbished. Today, it is surrounded by the modern skyscrapers of our financial district. So it has a surreal atmosphere. At night, the roads around Lau Pa Sat are closed to vehicles so that customers can sit at tables placed on the road and enjoy their food. A small tip: Singaporean satay is a perfect accompaniment to German beer!
Ambassador, Thank you very much for the interview.
INTERVIEW Markus Feller