In Singapore, people are wearing face masks as a prophylactic step against the spread of Covid-19. SOPA Images | LightRocket | Getty Images | Maverick Asio Singapore (Singapore) — Southeast Asian countries are promoting digital integration as the continuous rivalry between the United States and China threatens to fracture the global technology sector. Southeast Asia has 400 million internet users, with 10% of them going online for the first time in 2020 as the coronavirus epidemic drove more commercial transactions online. Even as the possibility of bifurcation looms, the region’s 10-member economic union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, is focusing on “technology neutrality,” according to Singapore’s Minister of Communications and Information, Josephine Teo. Individuals and enterprises with technological neutrality have the choice to choose which technology is most relevant and fit for their purposes, without being pressured to employ a specific type of technology. “Even though Covid-19 has affected all of our economies,” Teo told CNBC’s Martin Soong during a panel discussion at the Asia Tech x Singapore conference on Tuesday, “this threat has not gone away.” She highlighted that as economies recover from the pandemic, their reliance on digital technology would rise, raising the stakes and increasing the value of international cooperation. We are aiming for more interoperable systems and standards rather than technology divergence. Singapore’s Minister of Communications and Information, Josephine Teo “Rather than getting caught in these types of crosshairs, which is extremely dangerous for everyone concerned,” she said, “we should be seeking more collaborations, not less.” “I believe that is how we address the issue within ASEAN, and we hope to build on that approach and spirit of partnership with all of our discussion partners.” During the last US administration, tensions between Washington and Beijing were at an all-time high. However, President Joe Biden has maintained several of his predecessor Donald Trump’s limitations on Chinese internet businesses. The digital revolution of ASEAN In ASEAN, the amount and prevalence of technology differs by member state. By 2025, the bloc aspires to make considerable progress toward becoming both a digital economy and a digital society, with technology at its core, as part of its digital masterplan. The advent of the internet economy, in which people use digital services to purchase, trade, socialize, and even manage their daily lives, is one key factor. According to a research released last year, the internet economy in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand — the bloc’s main economies — is expected to reach $300 billion by 2025. According to Abdul Mutalib Yusof, Brunei’s minister of transport and information communications, who was also on the panel, there are three factors to consider when thinking broadly about ASEAN’s digital transformation. Opportunities, technology neutrality, and the role of politicians and regulators are the three elements. Policymakers and regulators must devise procedures and ways that strike a balance between the impact of technology on the economy, society, and national security, according to Mutalib. He explained that technology is the least important and difficult topic in and of itself. “Those non-technological difficulties or opportunities,” he continued, “are the factors that we need truly come to think (about) together as an ASEAN as a whole.” Brunei presently serves as the alternating chairman of ASEAN. Cybersecurity and data flows Singapore’s communications minister noted that ASEAN’s digital masterplan already includes a framework and model contractual provisions to assist enterprises operating in the region in better managing data transfers between countries. “This is one of the ways we’re attempting to make cross-border data flows easier, which will assist boost digital trade,” Teo explained. Heng Swee Keat, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, unveiled a digital exchange on Tuesday that will allow different stakeholders, including logistics firms, shippers, and purchasers, to share important information such as real-time cargo locations. According to Teo, ASEAN has also adopted deeper integration in terms of cybersecurity cooperation. This includes developing an information-sharing mechanism via which governments can share information on suspicious activity and potential cyber-threats. Singapore opened a new cybersecurity center in 2019 where ASEAN states can collaborate on research, knowledge sharing, and training to respond to online threats. “Rather of technology bifurcation, we’re aiming for more interoperable systems and standards,” Teo explained. “We’re considering how this can boost cross-border data flows and grow digital trade, which will benefit both large and small businesses.” “We see a lot of value in working together on cybersecurity and trusted digital transactions,” she added./n
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