Morrison’s Singapore visit: South China Sea and travel bubble to lead agenda

Indo-Pacific tensions and the pandemic will dominate talks when Scott Morrison and Lee Hsien Loong meet in Singapore.

Scott Morrison is expected to discuss strengthening partnerships between Australia and Singapore to develop low-emissions technologies.. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Increasing tensions in the Indo-Pacific – fanned by geostrategic competition between China and the US – and the regional response to the pandemic will dominate one-on-one talks between Scott Morrison and Lee Hsien Loong when the leaders meet in Singapore on Thursday.

The private leaders’ meeting is expected to cover a range of issues including the South China Sea, Myanmar, climate change, economic and defence co-operation, vaccines and the digital economy.

Lee Hsien Loong. Picture: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

The Prime Minister, who will make his second official visit to Singapore in a brief stop before flying to Cornwall in England to attend the G7-plus leaders’ meeting, will also discuss a travel bubble with the Singaporean Prime Minister when they meet at The Istana.

Following the meeting, which will focus on the contest between China and the US, the leaders are expected to support the international rule of law in relation to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

Mr Morrison’s meeting with Mr Lee – at a time of unprecedented geostrategic upheaval in the region – will focus on the role of ASEAN nations and Australia in enhancing security and economic ties. The leaders are expected to endorse the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific and the importance of the East Asia Summit and its critical role in ensuring the freedom of like-minded nations in the region.

The Australian understands while there will be discussions around two-way travel and a commitment to open borders, no final decisions will be made until Covid-19 restrictions in Singapore ease following a recent outbreak. Senior border and health officials are already working together to ensure measures will be ready when travel between Australia and Singapore resumes.

With British Prime Minister Boris Johnson set to push hard at the G7 summit to “vaccinate the world by end of next year”, Mr Morrison and Mr Lee will discuss the rollout of vaccines in the region and the importance of the Covax facility in ensuring jabs for developing nations.

The resilience of health supply chains, including vaccines and personal protective equipment, and advancing the global digital economy are likely to be on the agenda, building on discussions between Mr Morrison and Mr Lee at last year’s virtual leaders’ summit in March.

Mr Morrison and Mr Lee will likely recommit to the Five Power defence arrangements and the treaty on military training and training area development, which they signed last year.

The treaty built on 30 years of Singapore personnel training in Australia and underpinned a $2.25bn investment to jointly develop military training areas and advanced training facilities in central and north Queensland.

Ahead of travelling to the G7 summit, where Mr Johnson will put climate change at the top of the agenda, Mr Morrison is expected to discuss strengthening partnerships between Australia and Singapore to develop low-emissions technologies.

Australia and Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding in October to advance co-operation on low-emissions technologies and solutions to help achieve the Paris Agreement goals. Under the arrangement, there was a commitment to share technical knowledge and experience, and collaborate on the development of new technologies to drive down emissions.

Before travelling to Singapore, Mr Morrison will deliver a major speech in Perth on Wednesday focused on a “world order that favours freedom”, laying out a platform for Australia’s engagement in the G7-plus and working closely with like-minded countries, in particular ASEAN regional partners.