PM Lawrence Wong on the Joint Press Convention with Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon (Might 2026)

The Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon,

Distinguished company,

Ladies and gents,

Once once more, a really heat welcome to Prime Minister Luxon and his delegation to Singapore. I nonetheless keep in mind fondly my go to to Auckland final October and I’m very blissful to have the ability to return the hospitality this time.

Since our final assembly, the world has turn into rather more unsettled. 

The battle within the Middle East is disrupting power markets and provide chains. And international locations like ours – small, open and trade-dependent – really feel these shocks most straight. 

And that’s the reason this go to is so vital. 

Singapore and New Zealand share many strategic views – now we have lengthy seen the world in related methods. We imagine in openness and cooperation. Over the years, now we have constructed a deep reservoir of belief. And we don’t simply talk about ideas; we act on them. 

And that’s how we helped pioneer agreements just like the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership or P4, which laid the foundations for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership or CPTPP.

We launched the world’s first plurilateral Digital Economy Partnership Agreement. And extra lately, the Green Economy Partnership Agreement.

So every time, now we have damaged new floor. We don’t simply anticipate consensus to occur. We, our two international locations, are ready to maneuver forward first. We don’t simply comply with the foundations – though we do, we’re all the time those who comply with the foundations. But, we proactively work collectively to form new guidelines on the identical time, and immediately, we’re taking one other step ahead.

We have simply signed a brand new settlement on provide chain resilience – the Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies. 

This is the primary settlement of its form for each our international locations – and likewise globally. And it marks one other breakthrough, and sends a transparent sign: even underneath pressure, trusted companions will preserve religion with each other. 

It implies that even in time of disaster or shortages, we are going to preserve important items flowing – meals, gas, and different crucial provides. We won’t shut one another out. And as a substitute, we are going to work actively to maintain commerce shifting.

This issues, as a result of in tough instances, each nation shall be tempted to look inward. But when that occurs, provide chains break down and everybody finally ends up worse off. 

So this settlement is our reply. It is a dedication that we are going to do issues in a different way – that we are going to preserve markets open, preserve important items flowing, and stand by one different, particularly when it issues most. 

This Agreement is a part of our broader Comprehensive Strategic Partnership or CSP. 

And this morning, Prime Minister Luxon and I mentioned how we’re taking our cooperation ahead underneath the CSP. 

First, we welcomed the Singapore-New Zealand Leadership Forum taking place immediately. It brings collectively senior enterprise leaders from each side, and each Prime Minister Luxon and I encourage the CEOs to construct new partnerships and seize alternatives in our area. 

Second, we proceed to deepen our defence and safety ties. Singapore values New Zealand’s longstanding help for the Singapore Armed Force’s coaching in Waiouru, and we are going to likewise proceed to help the New Zealand Defence Force’s entry in and thru Singapore. We are additionally working collectively in newer areas, together with in unmanned applied sciences. These will profit the skilled growth of each our armed forces.

Third, we’re strengthening cooperation in crucial areas like healthcare and meals provide. We are sharing classes from Covid-19 to be extra ready for future pandemics. And we’re making it simpler and extra environment friendly to commerce meals and first merchandise. 

And lastly, we proceed to spend money on people-to-people ties – in training, tradition {and professional} exchanges, together with between our judiciary, academics and civil servants. These vital human connections give our relationship extra depth and resilience. 

Of course, past our bilateral ties, our two international locations additionally work collectively intently on the broader stage. Both international locations imagine in an open, rules-based worldwide system – particularly at a time when it’s underneath pressure. And as fellow founding members of the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership, we are going to push to maintain commerce open, guidelines clear, and provide chains reliable.

I additionally welcome New Zealand’s upgrading of its relations with ASEAN to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Next 12 months, Singapore will chair ASEAN. New Zealand will chair the Pacific Islands Forum. That provides us an excellent alternative to convey our areas nearer collectively and strengthen cooperation throughout a wider space. 

In these unsure instances, partnerships like this turn into much more vital. We could also be small international locations, a minimum of when it comes to inhabitants, however now we have company. And once we work collectively – with readability, with goal, and with belief – we are able to form outcomes collectively, flip challenges into alternatives, and convey advantages to our peoples. 

So, Prime Minister Luxon, Chris, my good buddy, thanks for the fruitful and glorious discussions immediately, and I want you a really fruitful go to to Singapore. Thank you very a lot.