Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said Asean’s top diplomats agreed that cohesion within the grouping was critical at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions. - VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN/FACEBOOK
CEBU: Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Jan 29 urged Asean to remain united to preserve regional peace and stability, as foreign ministers met amid what he described as growing global uncertainty and a volatile external environment.
In his Facebook post following the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Cebu, central Philippines, he said the region’s top diplomats agreed that cohesion within the 11-member grouping was critical at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions.
“This year’s Asean Foreign Ministers’ Retreat took place amid growing global uncertainty and a volatile environment,” he said. “Foreign Ministers agreed that Asean must remain united to keep our region peaceful and stable.”
He said the ministers discussed ways to strengthen economic cooperation and integration, including deepening collaboration in the digital economy, as well as advancing sustainability and the energy transition through initiatives such as the Asean Power Grid, where member-states have committed to interconnect their national electricity grids for cross-border power trading by 2045.
The retreat discussions highlighted Asean’s efforts to balance security concerns with economic priorities, as the bloc seeks to remain relevant and resilient amid intensifying rivalry among major powers and disruptions to global supply chains.
Myanmar remained a key focus of the talks.
Dr Balakrishnan stressed that meaningful political progress would require an end to violence and inclusive dialogue involving all stakeholders.
He said Asean foreign ministers reaffirmed the primacy of the Five-Point Consensus as the framework for addressing the Myanmar crisis. He commended the efforts so far of Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro as Special Envoy to the Asean Chair, amid concerns that implementation of the peace plan has stalled since Myanmar’s military seized power in 2021.
Regional security issues were also discussed, including the Cambodia-Thailand border situation.
Dr Balakrishnan noted that with the ceasefire continuing to hold, the retreat provided a timely opportunity for the two countries’ foreign ministers to meet and discuss the way forward.
He met Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono to discuss strengthening cooperation between their two nations ahead of the 60th anniversary of their bilateral ties in 2027.
“As close neighbours, Singapore and Indonesia will continue to work towards a shared vision of a stable, connected, and prosperous region,” he wrote in a separate Facebook post.
Dr Balakrishnan also separately met Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn on Jan 29, reiterating his call for a peaceful resolution of its border dispute with Thailand.
“Hope peace will prevail and the matter can be resolved through dialogue and Asean -led mechanisms,” said Dr Balakrishnan, who delivered a similar message during his bilateral meeting with Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow on Jan 28 in Cebu.
Cambodia and Thailand have a history of border disputes that have periodically escalated into diplomatic or military tensions, prompting concern within Asean over the risk of destabilisation among member-states.
The two nations agreed to a ceasefire on Dec 27, 2025, ending three weeks of clashes that killed dozens of people and displaced around one million on both sides.
On Jan 28, Dr Balakrishnan also held bilateral meetings with his Thai and Philippine counterparts.
“Singapore will continue to work closely with our Asean partners and support the Philippines’ Asean Chairmanship priorities,” he said. - The Straits Times/ANN
