Vivian Balakrishnan holds bilateral meetings with 5 counterparts at Asean Foreign Ministers' retreat

Singapore’s foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan was in Cebu, Philippines, from Jan. 28 to 29 to attend the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, the first high-level Asean event of the year.

The retreat was hosted by Asean 2026 Chair, the Philippines, having taken over from Malaysia at the end of 2025.

Retreat to move forward

During the retreat, the ministers reaffirmed the importance of upholding Asean centrality and strengthening Asean integration, particularly in an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment.

Vivian expressed Singapore’s support for the Philippines’ chairmanship, and its priorities of promoting trade and investment, strengthening the digital economy, deepening AI collaboration, and accelerating sustainability and the energy transition through the Asean power grid.

Vivian also reiterated the importance of maintaining the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, as well as hoping that both sides would resolve the conflict peacefully through dialogue and negotiation.

Myanmar

The retreat also saw the foreign ministers discuss the ongoing crisis in Myanmar and the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC).

In a social media post after the conclusion of the retreat, Vivian said that a meaningful political process in Myanmar requires the cessation of hostilities, as well as inclusive dialogue and participation of all stakeholders.

“These preconditions are necessary for a government with legitimacy and a measure of popular support to emerge."

The 5PC is the mutually agreed-upon key framework to resolve the Myanmar crisis, which calls for, amongst other things, an end to violence and dialogue between the contesting sides.

Although Myanmar’s military government agreed to the 5PC in 2021, it has yet to adequately fulfil it, leading to frustration amongst other Asean members, and resulting in Asean uninviting political leaders from Myanmar from attending Asean meetings, although non-political representatives, such as civil servants, are allowed.

During the retreat, the Asean foreign ministers reaffirmed the primacy of the 5PC as the framework to address the situation, as well as commended the efforts of the Special Envoy to the Asean Chair.

Relationships

Vivian also took the opportunity to hold several bilateral meetings with his Asean counterparts.

Vivian met Theresa Lazaro, the Filipino foreign secretary, whom Vivian congratulated on hosting the first foreign Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting of the year.

The pair also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Consultations, formalising the long-standing practice of regular consultations between Singaporean and Filipino foreign ministers.

Vivian caught up with the foreign ministers of Thailand, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, and of Indonesia, Sugiono (it’s a mononym), as well as the deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Cambodia, Prak Sokhonn.

Vivian also met with Vietnam’s foreign minister Le Hoai Trung and congratulated him on his election to Vietnam’s Politburo, and discussed the two countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Finally, he also met with Malaysian foreign minister Mohamad Hasan during the retreat’s Welcome Dinner on Jan. 28, saying, “In a more uncertain external environment, close neighbours like Singapore and Malaysia must work even more closely together to deliver tangible benefits for our people and to keep ASEAN united.”

Top image via Ministry for Foreign Affairs