SINGAPORE — August 25, 2026 — As geopolitical tensions intensify and the rules-based international order faces growing pressure, Singapore has issued a pointed message about what could determine whether countries remain resilient: the quality, capability and credibility of their governments.
Speaking at the inaugural Singapore-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue on Tuesday, Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said strong institutions, consistent policies and an effective public service will become increasingly important as countries navigate a more volatile global environment.
Chan said Singapore and Vietnam are particularly exposed to these changes because both are small, open and trade-dependent economies that have benefited significantly from an open, rules-based international system and deep economic integration.
But that environment is becoming harder to navigate.
“Our view is that the quality and capability of Government will increasingly distinguish successful nations from the rest,” Chan said in his opening remarks.
Why Singapore and Vietnam are paying attention
For decades, Singapore and Vietnam have benefited from regional stability, international trade and economic integration. According to Chan, however, many of those favourable conditions are now weakening.
Geopolitical competition is intensifying, while the traditional boundaries between economic policy, technology policy and national security are becoming increasingly blurred.
Supply chains and investment decisions are also being influenced not only by commercial considerations but increasingly by strategic and security concerns, Chan said.
For businesses, that means government effectiveness can have consequences far beyond politics.
Chan pointed to policy consistency, regulatory effectiveness and public-service quality as factors businesses consider when deciding where to invest and establish long-term operations.
Public trust could become just as important
Chan also highlighted another factor: trust between governments and their citizens.
He said public confidence allows governments to build consensus, mobilise society and implement difficult reforms whose benefits may not become visible for years.
That becomes particularly important when governments have to make unpopular or difficult decisions during periods of uncertainty.
Singapore’s approach, Chan said, places emphasis on developing leaders who possess integrity, sound judgement and a long-term sense of stewardship, while remaining closely connected to the people they serve.
The idea is straightforward: governments need to understand not only what policies are designed to achieve, but also how those policies are actually experienced by citizens.
Singapore and Vietnam deepen strategic cooperation
The remarks came during the first Singapore-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue, a new platform created under the two countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The dialogue was co-chaired by Chan and Tran Cam Tu, a Permanent Member of the Secretariat of Vietnam’s Communist Party Central Committee. Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Vietnam Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and Singapore Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo also attended.
The two sides used the meeting to discuss governance, leadership development, public-service transformation, technology and other emerging challenges.
Singapore and Vietnam also signed arrangements involving a study visit programme and executive education programme for senior Vietnamese Communist Party officials from 2027 to 2029, while the two countries issued a joint statement on a technology connectivity strategy.
Vietnam has expressed interest in learning from Singapore’s experience in areas including modern administration, national governance, talent development and leadership succession.
Technology brings opportunity — and new risks
Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies were another major theme.
Chan said technology could generate significant productivity and economic growth, but governments must also understand the risks and trade-offs that accompany rapid technological change.
He argued that governments should create conditions that allow businesses to experiment, adopt new technologies and improve productivity without allowing regulation to unnecessarily restrict innovation.
At the same time, governments must address cybersecurity, scams, misinformation and data protection while ensuring that people who are less digitally capable are not left behind.
Singapore’s approach, Chan said, is effectively “digital first but not digital only” — pushing digital transformation while maintaining access for citizens who may struggle with increasingly digital services.
The bigger challenge: preparing for what comes next
Chan also warned that today’s challenges increasingly cross traditional government boundaries.
Issues involving technology, economic security, supply chains, national security and social expectations cannot always be handled by a single ministry or agency.
Singapore therefore places emphasis on developing leaders with both specialised expertise and the ability to understand issues across different sectors. The Public Service Division describes this as developing “Pi-shaped” leaders, with depth in one or two areas and sufficient breadth to work across organisational boundaries.
The message from Singapore’s leadership was ultimately broader than the bilateral relationship with Vietnam.
Both countries face a world in which economic decisions, technology and security are increasingly interconnected — and where governments are being tested by faster technological change, shifting public expectations and a more contested international environment.
As Chan put it, the long-term success of Singapore and Vietnam will depend on regional stability and cooperation, capable governments, investment in technology and innovation, and social cohesion.
And that may be the most important takeaway from the new Singapore-Vietnam dialogue: when the old rules become less predictable, the strength of a country’s institutions could matter more than ever.
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