Apart from working closely with neighbours and the immediate Southeast Asian region, MFA will strengthen ties with the United States and China while expanding its “circles of friends”.
And as part of building on existing partnerships, Singapore and New Zealand will enter a CSP, said Dr Balakrishnan.
A CSP is an agreement that signals an upgrade in bilateral relations to the highest level, to deepen areas of cooperation as well as embark on new areas.
Both countries previously upgraded bilateral ties to an Enhanced Partnership (EP) in May 2019, and developed cooperation initiatives across four pillars: Trade and economics; security and defence; science, technology, and innovation; and people-to-people links.
A climate change and green economy pillar was added in 2022.
In 2024, leaders of both countries then announced a new pillar to secure supply chains, during New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to Singapore.
Mr Luxon said during a press conference then that his country and Singapore share similar outlooks on regional and global issues, and have warm and personal bonds that have endured many decades.
Then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the two countries had agreed to begin formal negotiations on an agreement to facilitate trade in essential items, and minimise disruptions during crises.
About a year after Mr Luxon’s visit, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in a speech that New Zealand was one of the “like-minded countries” that Singapore needed to deepen and expand strategic partnerships with.
Singapore currently has CSPs with other countries such as Australia, India and Vietnam.
