Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, recently called on ASEAN to continue working towards a joint power grid following the successful Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore power integration project. By establishing a regional power grid, member states can strengthen energy security, improve resilience, and advance regional decarbonisation, Lee said at the 42nd ASEAN summit’s plenary session in Indonesia.
Renewable Energy From Laos Via Thailand and Malaysia
Since June 23, 2022, Singapore has been importing renewable energy from Laos via Thailand and Malaysia. The project has been going well, with over 170,000 megawatt-hours of electricity imported from Lao PDR to Singapore from June 23 to October 31, as reported by Gan Kim Yong, the Minister for Trade and Industry.
The Economic Benefits of Improving Digital Connectivity
Lee also emphasized the economic benefits of improving digital connectivity and literacy among people. He welcomed Indonesia’s efforts to develop the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement and suggested updating core agreements, such as the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, to stay relevant to evolving business practices.
Moreover, Lee stressed the importance of increased cooperation among ASEAN member states on transnational issues, including cybersecurity. He expressed his support for the proposal to establish the ASEAN Regional Computer Emergency Response Team to strengthen regional cyber cooperation and incident response capabilities against sophisticated cyber threats. Looks like ASEAN has a lot to work on. You may also interested in The Impact of Climate Change on Singapore: How Will Rising Sea Levels Affect the City-State?
