Back
About RSIS
Introduction
Building the Foundations
Welcome Message
Board of Governors
Staff Profiles
Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
Dean’s Office
Management
Distinguished Fellows
Faculty and Research
Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
Visiting Fellows
Adjunct Fellows
Administrative Staff
Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
RSIS Endowment Fund
Endowed Professorships
Career Opportunities
Getting to RSIS
Research
Research Centres
Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
Research Programmes
National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
Future Issues and Technology Cluster
Research@RSIS Newsletter
Other Research
Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
Graduate Education
Graduate Programmes Office
Exchange Partners and Programmes
How to Apply
Financial Assistance
Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
RSIS Alumni
Alumni & Networks
Alumni
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
SRP Executive Programme
Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
Publications
RSIS Publications
Annual Reviews
Books
Bulletins and Newsletters
Commentaries
Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
Commemorative / Event Reports
IDSS Paper
Interreligious Relations
Monographs
NTS Insight
Policy Reports
Working Papers
RSIS Publications for the Year
Glossary of Abbreviations
External Publications
Authored Books
Journal Articles
Edited Books
Chapters in Edited Books
Policy Reports
Working Papers
Op-Eds
External Publications for the Year
Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
Media
2024 Indonesia Elections
Great Powers
Sustainable Security
Other Resource Pages
Media Mentions
News Releases
Speeches
Video/Audio Channel
External Podcasts
Events
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University
  • About RSIS
      IntroductionBuilding the FoundationsWelcome MessageBoard of GovernorsHonours and Awards for RSIS Staff and StudentsRSIS Endowment FundEndowed ProfessorshipsCareer OpportunitiesGetting to RSIS
      Staff ProfilesExecutive Deputy Chairman’s OfficeDean’s OfficeManagementDistinguished FellowsFaculty and ResearchAssociate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research AnalystsVisiting FellowsAdjunct FellowsAdministrative Staff
  • Research
      Research CentresCentre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      Research ProgrammesNational Security Studies Programme (NSSP)Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      Future Issues and Technology ClusterResearch@RSIS Newsletter
      Other ResearchScience and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      Graduate Programmes OfficeExchange Partners and ProgrammesHow to Apply
      Financial AssistanceMeet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other eventsRSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
      AlumniAsia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
      International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)SRP Executive ProgrammeTerrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
      RSIS PublicationsAnnual ReviewsBooksBulletins and NewslettersCommentariesCounter Terrorist Trends and AnalysesCommemorative / Event ReportsIDSS PaperInterreligious RelationsMonographsNTS InsightPolicy ReportsWorking PapersRSIS Publications for the Year
      External PublicationsAuthored BooksJournal ArticlesEdited BooksChapters in Edited BooksPolicy ReportsWorking PapersOp-EdsExternal Publications for the Year
      Glossary of AbbreviationsPolicy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
      2024 Indonesia ElectionsGreat PowersSustainable SecurityOther Resource PagesMedia Mentions
      News ReleasesSpeechesVideo/Audio ChannelExternal Podcasts
  • Events
    • Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
      rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
      rsis.sg
      RSIS
      RSS
      Subscribe to RSIS Publications
      Subscribe to RSIS Events

      Getting to RSIS

      Nanyang Technological University
      Block S4, Level B3,
      50 Nanyang Avenue,
      Singapore 639798

      Click here for direction to RSIS

      Get in Touch

    Connect
    Search
    • RSIS
    • Publication
    • RSIS Publications
    • CO03001 | Singapore and ASEAN: Reconciling National and Regional Security Interests
    • Annual Reviews
    • Books
    • Bulletins and Newsletters
    • Commentaries
    • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
    • Commemorative / Event Reports
    • IDSS Paper
    • Interreligious Relations
    • Monographs
    • NTS Insight
    • Policy Reports
    • Working Papers
    • RSIS Publications for the Year

    CO03001 | Singapore and ASEAN: Reconciling National and Regional Security Interests
    K. Kesavapany

    02 January 2003

    download pdf
    RSIS Commentary is a platform to provide timely and, where appropriate, policy-relevant commentary and analysis of topical and contemporary issues. The authors’ views are their own and do not represent the official position of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), NTU. These commentaries may be reproduced with prior permission from RSIS and due credit to the author(s) and RSIS. Please email to Editor RSIS Commentary at [email protected].

    Commentary

    Introduction: Singapore’s National Security Interests in ASEAN

    Within ASEAN, Singapore tries to promote its national security concerns as well as to advance the region’s vital collective interests. As a small state, national survival for Singapore is an issue of the highest priority, given the fluctuations in regional and world politics, and current political and economic challenges in neighbouring countries. In addition, Singapore also promotes regional security cooperation, especially with immediate neighbours such as Malaysia and Indonesia, in order to achieve the goals of mutual security and good neighbourliness. ASEAN therefore offers Singapore and its neighbours the best framework to resolve issues of a bilateral or multilateral nature. Furthermore, Singapore has been able to establish bilateral defence ties with various ASEAN countries.

    The Challenge of ASEAN for Singapore

    ASEAN thus presents both opportunities and challenges for Singapore in Southeast Asia. ASEAN’s continued ability to attract international investments and tourism flows into the region is now challenged by China’s attractiveness to FDI, currently estimated at $50 billion or about 80% of FDI flows into East Asia. For Singapore, the slow progress of ASEAN economic integration thus far has motivated it to search for other options such as negotiating Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with external partners. However, Singapore, like ASEAN, face several challenges. One major challenge is to ensure the complementarity of national and regional interests in ASEAN. The pursuit of bilateral FTAs with external powers by Singapore is to ensure that major trading partners continue to be engaged in the region and are not diverted by the rise of Asia’s emerging economic power house, China. It also aims also to enhance ASEAN’s relevance in terms of accelerating regional integration through AFTA.

    Singapore and Post-September 11 Regional Security

    Singapore’s security and economic interests are closely interwoven with ASEAN’s security and development. In the immediate Post-Cold War period(1991-2001), Singapore has worked closely within the ASEAN Regional Forum as a multilateral security dialogue and mechanism for resolving security issues through a three-step approach: from confidence building and preventive diplomacy to conflict resolution. Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, ASEAN was compelled to re-order and increase regional security cooperation in order to counter international terrorism. The Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist agenda of setting up an “Islamic Nation” comprising Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and southern Philippines, has been derailed temporarily by the internal and external measures taken by ASEAN Governments, especially Singapore and Malaysia, to arrest Islamic militants and to enhance security. The October 2002 Bali bombings is illustrative of the continuing danger that international terrorism poses to ASEAN.

    Towards ASEAN Economic Integration

    Given the global economic downturn and the competitive challenge from China, it is crucial that ASEAN achieves its goal of economic integration. Clearly, the successful implementation of AFTA will be an important test for ASEAN economic integration. The original ASEAN-6 members have already implemented AFTA in 2002, namely by setting common effective preferential tariffs rates of between 0 to 5 percent. Meanwhile, AFTA will be implemented by the others later. Furthermore, ASEAN has agreed on a target of zero tariffs for the ASEAN-6 by 2015, and for the rest by 2018.

    At the same time, ASEAN has to ensure that it remains relevant to its major economic partners. The most promising development is the China and ASEAN FTA which was first mooted by Chinese Premier Zhu Ronji at the Fourth Informal ASEAN Summit in Singapore in November 2000. When the China-ASEAN FTA materializes, it would be the world’s largest FTA with a market of around 1.7 billion people, total GDP of US$2 trillion and intra- regional trade of US$1.2 trillion. A Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between ASEAN and China was signed in Cambodia in November 2002. Under this agreement, FTA arrangements will be undertaken by the ASEAN-6 by 2010 and by the newer ASEAN member countries by 2015.

    ASEAN had also signed a declaration of Closer Economic Partnership with Australia and New Zealand in September 2002 that would increase trade and investment between AFTA and the other two countries. Japanese PM Junichiro Koizumi also proposed a Japan- ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Partnership in January 2002 that would include FTA elements. A joint Japan-ASEAN declaration affirming this economic partnership was signed in November 2002. In addition, during the APEC Summit in October 2002, US President Bush announced the “Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative” (EAI) that provides a road map that would help ASEAN countries to negotiate FTAs with the US and which could lead eventually to an ASEAN-US FTA. In the first ASEAN-India Summit in November 2002, India’s PM Vajpayee proposed an economic partnership between India and ASEAN countries with a possible FTA within 10 years. South Korea is also currently considering an FTA with ASEAN in future.

    The expected dividends from closer economic integration and FTAs will help to strengthen regional political and security co-operation. In many ways, Singapore has pioneered various measures that were later adopted by ASEAN and external partners. This shows that its national policies and regional strategies were effective in enhancing regional cooperation and in strengthening ASEAN security and development as well as helping to realize the goal of an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2020 — as envisaged by Singapore PM Goh Chok Tong. One of the ways to achieve this goal is to build new institutions and strengthen existing ones that can push the integration agenda forward.

    Certainly, the capabilities of the existing ASEAN Secretariat should be enhanced. This would include allowing the ASEAN Secretary-General to take a more active decision-making role in intra-ASEAN matters and to represent ASEAN when dealing with external countries on trade and investment issues. Looking forward, ASEAN as a regional institution can be the linchpin to galvanise economic integration with China, Japan, and Korea.

    About the Author

    Mr. K. Kesavapany is Director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. He was Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia until October. This commentary is based on a paper which he presented at the Singapore Forum on Politics held on 14 December 2002, and organised by the Department of Political Science, National University of Singapore.

    Categories: Commentaries /

    Last updated on 02/10/2014

    RSIS Commentary is a platform to provide timely and, where appropriate, policy-relevant commentary and analysis of topical and contemporary issues. The authors’ views are their own and do not represent the official position of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), NTU. These commentaries may be reproduced with prior permission from RSIS and due credit to the author(s) and RSIS. Please email to Editor RSIS Commentary at [email protected].

    Commentary

    Introduction: Singapore’s National Security Interests in ASEAN

    Within ASEAN, Singapore tries to promote its national security concerns as well as to advance the region’s vital collective interests. As a small state, national survival for Singapore is an issue of the highest priority, given the fluctuations in regional and world politics, and current political and economic challenges in neighbouring countries. In addition, Singapore also promotes regional security cooperation, especially with immediate neighbours such as Malaysia and Indonesia, in order to achieve the goals of mutual security and good neighbourliness. ASEAN therefore offers Singapore and its neighbours the best framework to resolve issues of a bilateral or multilateral nature. Furthermore, Singapore has been able to establish bilateral defence ties with various ASEAN countries.

    The Challenge of ASEAN for Singapore

    ASEAN thus presents both opportunities and challenges for Singapore in Southeast Asia. ASEAN’s continued ability to attract international investments and tourism flows into the region is now challenged by China’s attractiveness to FDI, currently estimated at $50 billion or about 80% of FDI flows into East Asia. For Singapore, the slow progress of ASEAN economic integration thus far has motivated it to search for other options such as negotiating Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with external partners. However, Singapore, like ASEAN, face several challenges. One major challenge is to ensure the complementarity of national and regional interests in ASEAN. The pursuit of bilateral FTAs with external powers by Singapore is to ensure that major trading partners continue to be engaged in the region and are not diverted by the rise of Asia’s emerging economic power house, China. It also aims also to enhance ASEAN’s relevance in terms of accelerating regional integration through AFTA.

    Singapore and Post-September 11 Regional Security

    Singapore’s security and economic interests are closely interwoven with ASEAN’s security and development. In the immediate Post-Cold War period(1991-2001), Singapore has worked closely within the ASEAN Regional Forum as a multilateral security dialogue and mechanism for resolving security issues through a three-step approach: from confidence building and preventive diplomacy to conflict resolution. Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, ASEAN was compelled to re-order and increase regional security cooperation in order to counter international terrorism. The Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist agenda of setting up an “Islamic Nation” comprising Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and southern Philippines, has been derailed temporarily by the internal and external measures taken by ASEAN Governments, especially Singapore and Malaysia, to arrest Islamic militants and to enhance security. The October 2002 Bali bombings is illustrative of the continuing danger that international terrorism poses to ASEAN.

    Towards ASEAN Economic Integration

    Given the global economic downturn and the competitive challenge from China, it is crucial that ASEAN achieves its goal of economic integration. Clearly, the successful implementation of AFTA will be an important test for ASEAN economic integration. The original ASEAN-6 members have already implemented AFTA in 2002, namely by setting common effective preferential tariffs rates of between 0 to 5 percent. Meanwhile, AFTA will be implemented by the others later. Furthermore, ASEAN has agreed on a target of zero tariffs for the ASEAN-6 by 2015, and for the rest by 2018.

    At the same time, ASEAN has to ensure that it remains relevant to its major economic partners. The most promising development is the China and ASEAN FTA which was first mooted by Chinese Premier Zhu Ronji at the Fourth Informal ASEAN Summit in Singapore in November 2000. When the China-ASEAN FTA materializes, it would be the world’s largest FTA with a market of around 1.7 billion people, total GDP of US$2 trillion and intra- regional trade of US$1.2 trillion. A Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between ASEAN and China was signed in Cambodia in November 2002. Under this agreement, FTA arrangements will be undertaken by the ASEAN-6 by 2010 and by the newer ASEAN member countries by 2015.

    ASEAN had also signed a declaration of Closer Economic Partnership with Australia and New Zealand in September 2002 that would increase trade and investment between AFTA and the other two countries. Japanese PM Junichiro Koizumi also proposed a Japan- ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Partnership in January 2002 that would include FTA elements. A joint Japan-ASEAN declaration affirming this economic partnership was signed in November 2002. In addition, during the APEC Summit in October 2002, US President Bush announced the “Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative” (EAI) that provides a road map that would help ASEAN countries to negotiate FTAs with the US and which could lead eventually to an ASEAN-US FTA. In the first ASEAN-India Summit in November 2002, India’s PM Vajpayee proposed an economic partnership between India and ASEAN countries with a possible FTA within 10 years. South Korea is also currently considering an FTA with ASEAN in future.

    The expected dividends from closer economic integration and FTAs will help to strengthen regional political and security co-operation. In many ways, Singapore has pioneered various measures that were later adopted by ASEAN and external partners. This shows that its national policies and regional strategies were effective in enhancing regional cooperation and in strengthening ASEAN security and development as well as helping to realize the goal of an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2020 — as envisaged by Singapore PM Goh Chok Tong. One of the ways to achieve this goal is to build new institutions and strengthen existing ones that can push the integration agenda forward.

    Certainly, the capabilities of the existing ASEAN Secretariat should be enhanced. This would include allowing the ASEAN Secretary-General to take a more active decision-making role in intra-ASEAN matters and to represent ASEAN when dealing with external countries on trade and investment issues. Looking forward, ASEAN as a regional institution can be the linchpin to galvanise economic integration with China, Japan, and Korea.

    About the Author

    Mr. K. Kesavapany is Director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. He was Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia until October. This commentary is based on a paper which he presented at the Singapore Forum on Politics held on 14 December 2002, and organised by the Department of Political Science, National University of Singapore.

    Categories: Commentaries

    Last updated on 02/10/2014

    Popular Links

    About RSISResearch ProgrammesGraduate EducationPublicationsEventsAdmissionsCareersVideo/Audio ChannelRSIS Intranet

    Connect with Us

    rsis.ntu
    rsis_ntu
    rsisntu
    rsisvideocast
    school/rsis-ntu
    rsis.sg
    RSIS
    RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    Getting to RSIS

    Nanyang Technological University
    Block S4, Level B3,
    50 Nanyang Avenue,
    Singapore 639798

    Click here for direction to RSIS

    Get in Touch

      Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
      Privacy Statement / Terms of Use
      Help us improve

        Rate your experience with this website
        123456
        Not satisfiedVery satisfied
        What did you like?
        0/255 characters
        What can be improved?
        0/255 characters
        Your email
        Please enter a valid email.
        Thank you for your feedback.
        This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
        OK
        Latest Book
        more info