A foreign minister's speech we ought to listen to

In his March 3 speech before his country’s parliament, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan spoke about how the world and the global economy are rapidly changing and how these profound changes are bound to affect Singapore.

- JOHN TRIA

To help us navigate these realities, he, among other things, called for the strengthening of economies, and accelerating ASEAN economic integration. I believe that in that March 3 speech, Foreign Minister Balakrishnan was not only addressing the citizens of his country, he was speaking to me as a citizen of an ASEAN country. I encourage you to search for and listen to it online.

The speech of the foreign minister showed the volume of thought and analysis that goes into analyzing the external environment and how it affects a country. It also reflected a clarity on national interest and how it must be appreciated as a necessary context when looking at the rest of the world. In my case, I express the hope that many who will listen to his speech will begin to look at our own country's situation and place in this part of the world.