It’s good to be back in Singapore. In my former capacity as member of the German Parliament I have been here to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue as well as the Manama Dialogue already as Foreign Minister last year. Thank you to IISS for being such a good partner to our government, our parliament and for bringing us together today.

Resilience is a word we hear often today. Economic, social, democratic and climate resilience. We use this term so often, so casually, that we sometimes risk overlooking its true meaning. Resilience is not simply the ability to endure shocks and to come out of a storm strong and sovereign. It is the capacity to adapt, to learn and to emerge stronger from moments of stress.

And we do indeed live in stressful times. We are meeting at a moment in history when the world is changing rapidly. Competition between great powers is increasing: competition over spheres of influence, over resources, and over norms. Crises and conflicts are on the rise.

In Asia we are witnessing growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. And we know that any escalation in the Indo-Pacific could have serious consequences for global security and prosperity – and would directly affect German and European interests, too.

In Europe we are witnessing Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Every single day, for almost four years now, Vladimir Putin has been testing not only the resilience of Ukraine but, with it, the resilience of all of Europe. And this also affects security in the Indo-Pacific region. Because the Russian war machine runs in part on North Korean troops and ammunition, as well as on China’s decisive economic and political support. The moment he started his fully fledged invasion of Ukraine, we knew that Putin’s war of aggression would determine the future of both Europe and the Indo-Pacific. And Singapore knew it, too. We saw Singapore join us for the first time in efforts to impose sanctions on the Russian economy to lower its resilience.

And globally we are witnessing an increasing number of trade disputes, a race for the Arctic and a growing number of border disputes as well.

In a nutshell: The law of the strongest seems to be increasingly replacing the strength of the law. Rules that we considered the backbone of our international order are being called into question. The international order itself – as we have known it since after the Second World War – is under pressure. To safeguard our security, our freedom and our prosperity in the future, we must adapt to these new realities.

Ladies and gentlemen, resilience is not a given. It is a political and societal task. It must be built. It must be maintained. And it must be defended. Ultimately, when we speak about resilience, we speak about choice. And our choice is to uphold stability in times of uncertainty. Germany is enhancing national resilience. At the same time, we are strengthening our position by investing in regional unity. From our perspective, strengthening Europe is an integral part of the solution. And regional cohesion can also be part of the solution for this region.

We can choose to together adapt to the new realities. We can choose to preserve our values – together as partners. We can choose to recognise the sense of urgency. And to work together as an international community and to strengthen multilateralism. That is precisely why I am here. Because I am convinced that the Indo-Pacific is of decisive importance for Germany, for Europe. And vice versa. And because we – as Germans and as Europeans – want to build and strengthen partnerships that are solid, reliable, and capable of shaping a shared and prosperous future.

Even before becoming German Minister of Foreign Affairs, I closely followed developments in the region and frequently visited it. And so, I can draw on my previous journeys here – especially to Singapore – and share my experiences. In Europe and with partners in the Indo-Pacific we share several core interests: Such as the conviction that growth and prosperity can – in the long run – only be achieved through cooperation. This is why we are committed to rules-based trade. And such as the commitment to multilateralism. Because multilateralism tilts us towards cooperation. And that is what we need to solve the major challenges of our time.

Ladies and gentlemen, change and innovation are essential. Societies must adapt and constantly forge ahead – or risk becoming irrelevant. Here in Singapore, you know very well what I am referring to. Singapore is a global super-hub – where trade routes, technologies and talents come together. A global nerve centre where signals from markets and technologies meet. That is why 2,400 German companies have established themselves in Singapore, as have several German research institutions – for instance, the Technical Universities of Munich and Braunschweig and the Fraunhofer Institute.

Our two nations share deep and multi-faceted relations: Just last year we celebrated the 60^th anniversary of German-Singaporean diplomatic relations. In 2024, we entered into a Strategic Partnership. And we share more than just the fond memories of celebrating these milestones in our relations. We are both export-oriented, which makes trade and investment vital for our economies. By working together, we can diversify our supply chains and reduce dependencies in critical areas. And there are more states looking for these kinds of opportunities.

Precisely for these reasons, we are delighted to have concluded the political negotiations on the EU-India Free Trade Agreement last week – as well as the EU-Indonesia Free Trade Agreement in September. These historic agreements open up a market of over two billion people. These agreements unlock enormous opportunities, support diversification and thus strengthen economic resilience. Our successful EU network of free trade agreements, including with New Zealand and Singapore, is an important building block for rules-based free trade in times of increased protectionism and fragmentation. Despite the pandemic, trade between the EU and Singapore has increased by almost 30% since our trade agreement entered into force in 2019. For this reason, we are also working to swiftly conclude more free trade agreements in this dynamic region.

Including with Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines – and Australia, with which we have just officially resumed FTA negotiations. We are aiming for structured cooperation with the countries of the regional trade agreement CPTPP. Together, the EU and CPTPP cover a population of more than one billion people. There is huge potential for concrete forms of cooperation – for example in the areas of digital trade, standards and technologies in support of WTO rules that we seek to strengthen.

Ladies and gentlemen, by working together, we can also counteract the effects of climate change and search for solutions together with the Pacific islands. Like with Tonga, which is one of the stops on my journey. We are striving for a strategic partnership with the Pacific Islands Forum. We are also backing this commitment financially. Germany has pledged five million euro for the establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility, which is set to begin operations this year and will be headquartered in Tonga. Through this initiative, we aim to support local strategies to address and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Let us stand together and move forward together. Times may change, but one truth remains constant: Together with our partners in the European Union, we stand resolute, unwavering in our commitment as a strong, trusted and steadfast partner. We are ready to confront the global challenges of our time, side by side with you. Because reliability and trust are the bedrock upon which the future of international relations is built.

And it is through the lessons of our past that we understand that peace, prosperity and stability arise when nations come together as equals. And not when they seek to impose their will on others.

Thank you.