Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has urged ASEAN to make the bloc “100% tariff-free” and remove remaining trade barriers.
Speaking at the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, he warned that US tariffs under President Trump signaled a shift from multilateralism to a “stronger, stronger” deal and ASEAN must respond with greater integration.
Wong revealed that there were still 24 economic agreements signed but not yet implemented, with some only dismal since 2015.
He slammed the legitimacy of signing agreements if they were not implemented and also urged ASEAN to explore new areas of growth from regional power grids to digital trade, while calling for more ASEAN countries to join the CPTPP.
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a free trade agreement between 12 countries across the Asia-Pacific that aims to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers.
Although this is Wong's first overseas visit since becoming Singapore's Prime Minister, he has already managed to steal the spotlight — not only through strong statements, but also with a clear vision and tangible actions to drive ASEAN's economy towards greater integration and a brighter future.
