Singapore-Germany ties: Digitalisation, AI to form bigger part of renewed Strategic Partnership

Caption language: en · Fetched: 2026-10-28

Singapore and Germany are renewing their strategic partnership. The intent is to keep bilateral ties forward-looking and expand cooperation in new areas of mutual interest. Digital technologies, including AI, will take a larger focus. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong says closer cooperation could create new jobs and help Singaporeans gain new skills. Nikil Carter reports. [music] a ceremonial welcome at Parliament House for the German Chancellor and a special orchid named in his honor on his first official visit to Singapore. The visit is aimed at strengthening long-standing ties and tackling shared challenges in an increasingly uncertain world. Together with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Mr. Friedrich Merz endorsed a new 2-year work plan. It spans five areas from defense and trade to digitalization and the green economy.

A key focus will be the development and deployment of industrial AI. This will combine Germany's strengths in engineering and manufacturing with Singapore's growing digital capabilities. We are small, we are compact, we are highly connected as a society. We have rule of law. We have clear protection for intellectual property and we see a lot of opportunities in sectors like healthcare, logistics, finance and advanced manufacturing where we can truly push the frontiers in terms of the deployment of actual AI solutions and that is a space where we are investing in. cooperation is also set to deepen at the regional level. When Singapore takes over as ASEAN chair next year, PMong says it will work with Germany to bring ASEAN and the EU closer. This will include making progress towards a free trade agreement.

He acknowledges the negotiations will be complex but says there's optimism amid ongoing trade talks between the EU and individual ASEAN countries. more and more ASEAN countries individually are already discussing trade agreements with the EU. And so with that, that gives us more confidence that ASEAN as a block can also make progress in our trade discussions for a free trade agreement with the EU. These deeper links were also discussed when the German leader met with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. They also exchanged views on the approaches to reform and remodel the rules-based multilateral system. He was later hosted to lunch by senior minister Lee Hsien Loong. The two discussed the importance of free trade and upholding a rules-based international order amid global uncertainty.

Singapore and Germany may be geographically far apart, but PM Wong says both countries share many common interests and convictions. And as the world becomes increasingly uncertain and fragmented, the joint message is clear. Stronger bilateral and regional partnerships rather than turning inwards will be the way forward for the two nations. Singapore and Germany looking to build on the year of innovation program launched earlier this year. The goal is to deepen cooperation in emerging technologies. PM Wong made the comment during a dinner hosted in honor of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Business leaders from both countries were also at the event. Close to 3,000 German companies are based in Singapore, many using it as a gateway to the wider region. PM Wong says Germany's engineering expertise remains vital in the digital age.

While Singapore offers a trusted base to scale ideas, Singapore for our part offers a highly connected and trusted base in Asia with an agile ecosystem where new ideas can be developed, tested and scaled. So together we can combine our complimentary strengths to open up new possibilities in industrial AI, advanced manufacturing, biomedical sciences and other emer emerging fields.