S’pore, UK to bolster funds to combat cyber and piracy threats

Two nations ink MOU; Britain commits to providing further assistance to Republic’s Navy

Singapore and the United Kingdom yesterday agreed to deepen cooperation in cybersecurity and the fight against piracy, as British Prime Minister David Cameron concluded his first official visit to Singapore.

“We agreed to double the amount we spend together to protect our businesses in critical infrastructure from the threat of cyberattacks,” Mr Cameron told reporters during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana. “This additional funding will build on the agreements made during President Tony Tan’s state visit to the UK last year.”

The British Premier said cybersecurity is important in creating a stable environment for businesses to succeed, and one of the biggest challenges UK companies face when operating in the region is the protection of their intellectual property rights.

“Today, we’ve agreed to work together to strengthen cooperation on this issue, providing greater reassurance for British companies that want to use Singapore as a springboard to the region,” Mr Cameron said.

Mr Lee and Mr Cameron yesterday oversaw the signing of the Cyber Security Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The MOU covers several areas, including cooperation between both nations’ Cyber Emergency Response Teams to enhance responses to cybersecurity incidents, grooming cyber professionals through online competitions and learning programmes, as well as the sharing of best practices.

Mr Lee said he was very glad to witness the signing of the MOU.

“The UK has well-known expertise in this field (cybersecurity) — GCHQ and Bletchley Park is world famous — and we hope to share experiences in this increasingly important area,” he said, referring to the British Government Communications Headquarters and the Government Code and Cypher School, also known as Bletchley Park.

Another new economic initiative that the leaders discussed was a joint investment of £500,000 (S$1.07 million) in a new partnership between Innovate UK and Singapore’s National Research Foundation, seeking to encourage the development of innovative technologies that can enhance city life, such as in the energy, transport and healthcare sectors.

Singapore and the UK share substantive economic ties, with more than a thousand British businesses currently based here.

The Republic is also Britain’s largest export base in the region, worth £6.5 billion in 2013. Similarly, in 2013, the UK was Singapore’s second-largest investment destination after China.

Beyond economic ties, Britain also committed to providing further assistance to Singapore’s Navy to help tackle the threat of piracy in the region. “With 15 per cent of UK shipping passing through the Malacca and Singapore Straits, it is in our national interest to work with Singapore on this,” Mr Cameron said.

He added that the UK is having two of its largest aircraft carriers built for the Royal Navy, which he hopes would dock in Singapore in the future.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Cameron visited Commonwealth Secondary School to learn about Singapore’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Applied Learning Programme. Mr Lee said he hoped Mr Cameron had found the visit to the school useful. “In time, I hope to see more exchanges in the education field in both directions,” added Mr Lee.

During the press conference, Singapore’s Prime Minister also announced that Prince Andrew, Duke of York, would be the Queen’s representative at Singapore’s National Day Parade next week, along with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.

In addition, Mr Cameron yesterday called on President Tony Tan Keng Yam, who was in the UK last October for his first state visit. Mr Lee also visited the UK last March.

Mr Cameron’s two-day visit to Singapore is part of a four-day visit to South-east Asia — his first overseas trip outside Europe after his re-election in May.

“Coming here on my first visit outside Europe since the election demonstrates not only the importance we attach to the close historical ties that bind us, but also the exciting opportunities that our relationship today presents,” he said.