Government quality, capability set successful nations apart in a\ncontested world: Chan Chun Sing<\/p>\n
Speaking at the inaugural Singapore-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue, Mr\nChan said both countries feel the shifts in the rules-based\ninternational order acutely.<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE: The quality and capability of government will increasingly\ndistinguish successful nations from the rest amid a weakening\nrules-based international order and rising geopolitical competition,\nCoordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing said on Tuesday\n(Aug 25).<\/p>\n
Speaking at the inaugural Singapore-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue held\nat Conrad Singapore Marina Bay, Mr Chan said that strong institutions\nhelp countries anticipate change and adapt when external shocks\noccur.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolicy consistency, regulatory effectiveness, and the quality of the\npublic service matter for economic competitiveness. Businesses consider\nthese factors when deciding where to invest and where to build for the\nlong term,\u201d said Mr Chan, who is also Singapore\u2019s defence minister.<\/p>\n
\u201cGovernments also need the confidence and trust of their people.\nPublic trust enables governments to build consensus, mobilise society,\nand undertake difficult reforms in which benefits may only be apparent\nmany years later.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Chan co-chaired Tuesday\u2019s dialogue with Permanent Member of the\nCommunist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Secretariat Tran Cam\nTu.<\/p>\n
Other key figures who attended the dialogue included Vietnam\u2019s\nMinister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung and Singapore\u2019s Foreign\nAffairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Singapore\u2019s Minister for Digital\nDevelopment and Information Josephine Teo was also present.<\/p>\n
At the dialogue, the foreign affairs ministers of both sides signed\nan agreement on a study visit programme and an executive education\nprogramme for senior CPV officials from 2027 to 2029. Both countries\nalso issued a joint statement on the Vietnam-Singapore technology\nconnectivity strategy.<\/p>\n
The Singapore-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue was formed under the ambit\nof the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between both countries, which\nwas established last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe intend for this to be a forward-looking platform where we can\nexchange perspectives candidly on emerging challenges, and identify\nareas where we can work together bilaterally and regionally,\u201d said Mr\nChan in his opening speech.<\/p>\n
Mr Tu said in his opening remarks that the dialogue reflects the\nincreasingly deep level of political trust and the importance of the\nrelationship between both countries.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Vietnamese, he added that the platform will further\nstrengthen political trust, enhance cooperation across all fields, and\nhelp develop the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between both sides\nin a profound and substantive manner, becoming a model of mutually\nbeneficial cooperation in the region.<\/p>\n
Mr Tu also said Vietnam is interested and eager to learn from\nSingapore\u2019s experience in building a modern administration and effective\nnational governance, including identifying and nurturing talent, and\nbuilding a team of leadership successors with the vision and capacity to\nmeet the country\u2019s needs in the new era.<\/p>\n
MORE VOLATILE, CONTESTED ENVIRONMENT<\/p>\n
In his opening speech, Mr Chan said that Singapore and Vietnam are\nboth operating in a more complex environment today.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor decades, Singapore and Vietnam have benefited greatly from an\nopen and rules-based international order, deep economic integration, and\na stable regional environment. These conditions provided important\ntailwinds for our economies to grow and for our people to prosper,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, many of these conditions are weakening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both counties feel the shifts acutely as small, open and\ntrade-dependent economies, said Mr Chan.<\/p>\n
With intensifying geopolitical competition, the boundaries between\neconomic policy, technology policy and national security are\nblurring.<\/p>\n
Supply chains and investment decisions are also being shaped by\nstrategic and security considerations, beyond commercial ones, he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithin our societies, aspirations are also becoming much more\ndiverse. Younger generations have grown up in very different\ncircumstances from their parents and grandparents. Their expectations of\nwork, society, and government will naturally be different,\u201d added Mr\nChan.<\/p>\n
While artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies\noffer tremendous opportunities for productivity and growth, they also\ncreate new risks and divisions across economies and societies, he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Mr Chan noted that Singapore and Vietnam will experience the\nchallenges differently, but with similar underlying questions.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do we continue to govern well in a more volatile and contested\nenvironment? And how do we prepare the next generation of leaders to do\nthis in a much more complex environment?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
LEADERSHIP VALUES<\/p>\n
Mr Chan said that leadership must be anchored on \u201cthe right values\nand a strong sense of stewardship\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most difficult decisions in government are seldom\nstraightforward choices between right and wrong. More often, they\ninvolve competing priorities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to balance present needs against the interests of future\ngenerations, economic opportunities against risks, and diverse interests\nof different groups in society.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said Singapore places \u201cconsiderable emphasis on identifying and\ndeveloping leaders with integrity, judgement, and the instinct to\nconsider the long-term interests of our country\u201d, while at the same time\nstaying grounded and connected to the people they serve.<\/p>\n
As citizens become better educated and informed, governments must\ncontinually update their engagement methods, said Mr Chan, emphasising\nSingapore\u2019s efforts in prioritising engagement and partnership in its\npublic service transformation.<\/p>\n
\u201cStaying close to the ground also helps us to understand how policies\nare experienced in practice and where aspirations are changing,\u201d he\nadded.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt also builds trust. And trust gives governments the legitimacy and\nspace to make difficul<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-quality-capability-set-successful-nations-apart-in-a-contested-world-chan-chun-sing-1787644220", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }