June 16, 2022 (US) | June 17, 2022 (Asia)

Pacific Forum’s first ever Twitter Space event reflected upon and showcased the findings of our US-Singapore Tech & Innovation Virtual Dialogue series.

Drawing on past speakers from the series, this Twitter Space event revisited the roles of Singapore and the United States in driving technology and innovation amid ongoing great power competition and global volatility, and how Southeast Asia fits in. Our guests took stock of proactive measures that Singapore and the United States can implement under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and similar frameworks to harden the resilience of critical national infrastructure, mobilize joint capacity-building initiatives, and facilitate collaboration in the digital economies of both countries and the greater region.

Our panelists explored elements of our previous sessions and discussed the uncertainty that accompanies the road ahead. Special emphasis was placed on the geopolitical and technological implications of the invasion of Ukraine for US-Singapore bilateral relations and Southeast Asia. Jaclyn Kerr emphasized the challenges of dual-use technology and the need for dialogue to build long-term stability and trust. Annabel Lee suggested that there should be increased recognition of national security paired with digital policies and multilateral action. Courtney Weatherby underscored the value in viewing technology not just from the national or government levels, but from a multi-stakeholder level.

Listeners left with a better understanding of how the US and Singapore can spur digital growth through improved policy coordination that facilitates practical engagements on the exchange of talent, data, expertise, technology, and best practices, which will have a positive flow-on effect in the region.

Learn more about this series at our event hub: bit.ly/ussg-tech-innov

Featuring

Benjamin Ang
Senior Fellow & Deputy Head, Centre of Excellence for National Security
S. Rajaratnam School of International Affairs

Jaclyn Kerr
Senior Research Fellow for Defense and Technology Futures
Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) at National Defense University (NDU) National University of Singapore

Annabel Lee
Director, Digital Policy (APJ) and ASEAN Affairs
Amazon Web Services’

Courtney Weatherby
Deputy Director
The Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia Program

Moderated by Mark Manantan, Director of Cybersecurity and Critical Technologies at Pacific Forum.

Publication and Podcast

Issues & Insights Vol. 22, SR5 – US-Singapore: Advancing Technological Collaboration and Innovation in Southeast Asia

In this special publication, authors were encouraged to reflect on what stronger US and Singapore cooperation looks like in concrete policy terms amid ongoing geopolitical volatility. Beyond the technical and geopolitical perspectives, the contributions in this edited volume emphasize the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration and sustainability for an enduring US-Singapore strategic partnership.

Download the full volume here.

The Indo-Pacific Current

The Indo-Pacific Current is pleased to present a special conversation series featuring authors from the US-Singapore: Advancing Technological Collaboration and Innovation in Southeast Asia. The special-curated episodes will dive deeper into the key findings of each chapter, offering cross-cutting perspectives. Mark Manantan, Senior Research Fellow and Director of Cybersecurity and Critical Technologies at Pacific Forum expertly guides the conversation through thoughtful and provocative questions.

Listen to the accompanying podcast episodes on Spotify here.

And on Apple Podcasts here.