Image Credit: Minister Chan Chun Sing’s Facebook

It is up to our youths, leaders of tomorrow, to decide if their generation will build “bridges” rather than “walls” to bring about greater prosperity and progress for generations to come, said Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 13th Hwa Chong Asia Pacific Young Leaders Summit on 22 July 2019, Mr Chan said the world is facing challenges with a push back against globalisation and the adoption of technologies and it is important for countries to help their businesses and workers adjust to the new reality. “Do we embrace integration or do we close our borders?” asked Mr Chan, noting that governments in the past faced the same pressures as they do today.

The younger generation, he noted, have a choice to make – to decide whether they want to “build those bridges to enhance the connectivity of talent, technology, and trade” or “shirk away” from their responsibilities to help their businesses and people adjust to the new realities.

Mr Chan encouraged the audience to have the courage and leadership to muster the resources and help their people adjust in order to benefit from a globally integrated system. “Many countries are unable to muster the resources and political will to evolve new business models and help their people acquire new skills,” he said.

“If the world continues to be protectionist and fragmented, successive generations will not be able to enjoy the prosperity and progress as we do now,” he added.