Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim posted a photo from an Oct 17 meeting with Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Tim Watts, along with fellow WP MPs Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) and Dennis Tan (Hougang SMC) and other parliamentarians.
The informal discussion, hosted by the Australian High Commission, Singapore, centred around the ties between the two nations, and Assoc Prof Lim (Sengkang GRC) wrote in an Oct 18 (Tuesday) Facebook post, “We were able to share candid thoughts on how such ties may be strengthened.”
“On my part, I shared my belief that Australia would have to strike its own balance between embedding itself deeper into Southeast Asia—the region that is its closest neighborhood—and retaining its Western, liberal identity, which is an indelible part of its heritage and (in a number of quarters) its appeal.
I also thought that it could also continue to lean on some of its traditional strengths—in tertiary education ties, tourism, and sporting excellence—as exportable services that could diversify the economy’s growth engine for the future,” he added.
Mr Watts also tweeted about the meeting of the Singapore-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group on Oct 18.
Meeting members of the Singapore Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group was an important chance to listen, share perspectives- and to celebrate the strong and vibrant relationship between our two countries. @dfat @AusHCSG @geraldgiam @samdingoingon @lianpinkoh @jamuslim pic.twitter.com/iEr6sLEHnO
— Tim Watts MP (@TimWattsMP) October 17, 2022
“Australia and Singapore have a warm friendship, anchored in shared experiences.
We share a long history – Australia was the second country to recognise Singapore when it became an independent nation in 1965.
Now, our partnership is about facing the future together,” he wrote.
Mr Watts was the keynote speaker at Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) 2022, held from Oct 18 to 20 at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, for the session Tackling the Ransomware Scourge: Global Cooperation for a Transboundary Issue.
“It’s in all of our interests that cyber threats like ransomware do not threaten the stability of the governments, economies and societies of nations in our region,” he wrote.
Mr Watts also met with Minister for Communications and Information, Josephine Teo and Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling “for a useful discussion about how we can advance Australia and Singapore’s cyber and critical tech work.”
The visit was not all work and no play for the Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister.
He also tweeted about having visited one of Singapore’s hawker centres, sampling the chicken rice and chilli crab.
“A great way to end the day with the fantastic flavours of Singapore,” wrote Mr Watts.
/TISG
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