Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Towards a Closer Partnership
- Keynote Speech
- I New Zealand-ASEAN Political and Security Relations: An Overview
- II New Zealand-ASEAN Economic Relations: Cooperation and Challenges
- III ASEAN Integration and Towards an East Asian Community
- IV New Zealand and Southeast Asia: Long-Term Prospects and Challenges
- V New Zealand-Singapore Relations: Developing Stronger Economic Ties: Trade, Investment and Services
- 15 New Zealand-Singapore Relations: Opening Address
- 16 Learning and Growing Together: Business Opportunities for a Stronger Singapore-New Zealand Relationship
- 17 Developing Stronger Economic Ties: Trade, Investment and Services
- 18 A Hotelier's Perspective
- 19 Intellectual Property Exploitation
- VI Creativity and Connectivity: Maximizing Opportunities
- CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
- SOUTHEAST ASIA-NEW ZEALAND DIALOGUE
15 - New Zealand-Singapore Relations: Opening Address
from V - New Zealand-Singapore Relations: Developing Stronger Economic Ties: Trade, Investment and Services
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 October 2015
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Towards a Closer Partnership
- Keynote Speech
- I New Zealand-ASEAN Political and Security Relations: An Overview
- II New Zealand-ASEAN Economic Relations: Cooperation and Challenges
- III ASEAN Integration and Towards an East Asian Community
- IV New Zealand and Southeast Asia: Long-Term Prospects and Challenges
- V New Zealand-Singapore Relations: Developing Stronger Economic Ties: Trade, Investment and Services
- 15 New Zealand-Singapore Relations: Opening Address
- 16 Learning and Growing Together: Business Opportunities for a Stronger Singapore-New Zealand Relationship
- 17 Developing Stronger Economic Ties: Trade, Investment and Services
- 18 A Hotelier's Perspective
- 19 Intellectual Property Exploitation
- VI Creativity and Connectivity: Maximizing Opportunities
- CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
- SOUTHEAST ASIA-NEW ZEALAND DIALOGUE
Summary
In his opening address on the New Zealand-Singapore relations session, Mr Austin shared his perceptions gathered from the prior two days of meetings in Singapore where they met with businessmen, officials, academics and New Zealand companies based in the country.
He observed that Singaporeans were concerned with attaining world class standards in the areas of business, academia and even politics. This preoccupation was compounded by a fear of losing out to India and China. Hence, although Singaporeans valued historical relationships, they were more focussed on dealing with the present competition in the globalizing world.
Singaporeans viewed New Zealand as a nice, green and clean agricultural country. However, due to its distance from Singapore, it was off the radar screen for most Singaporeans.
Mr Austin lamented the lack of awareness of the deep military ties which existed between the two countries and was disappointed that New Zealand was seen as an extension of Australia. Despite the modest levels of bilateral trade and the increasing business links, only a few New Zealand companies were truly internationalizing their businesses in Singapore.
He urged New Zealand companies to show Asians that it was not simply a scenic paradise, empty of people but a powerhouse of creativity, innovation and leading technology which is accessible to world.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Southeast Asia - New Zealand DialogueTowards a Closer Partnership, pp. 65 - 66Publisher: ISEAS–Yusof Ishak InstitutePrint publication year: 2007