Singapore believes it would be positive for the region should Japan deepen cooperation with more Asian partners, if it is able to sensitively handle «difficult historical issues», said Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sim Ann. These issues refer to «the damage and suffering caused during the Second World War», she added.Sim, who is also Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, was speaking at the Special Speakers Series organised by Business China on Friday (March 6). Referring to the erosion of a rules-based international order, Sim said the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (Asean) and its key partners — China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan — will remain the «cornerstone of Singapore's foreign policy amid the sharpening of strategic rivalry and erosion of trust between countries. »In a more multipolar world, countries are diversifying partnerships, strengthening resilience, and hedging against uncertainty.«Singapore must do the same. As global coordination becomes more difficult, we must invest more in regional and plurilateral networks that promote stability, openness and cooperation,» she explained. Read more