Let's Talk, Singapore

Speaking of Asia Ep 6: Europe will not be torpedo-ed from Asia 

47:54 mins

Synopsis: Join The Straits Times's associate editor Ravi Velloor, in this series of podcasts as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the continent.

In this sixth episode, he has two special guests - the French ambassador to Singapore Marc Abensour and the newly arrived European Union ambassador, Iwona Piorko.

They discuss the recent Australian decision to drop a contract with France to build diesel electric submarines in Adelaide. Australia chose to go for nuclear powered submarines from either the United States or the United Kingdom and the three nations also announced a new security formation, called Aukus which is described as an Enhanced Trilateral Security Partnership.

The cancellation of the submarine contract greatly upset France, which withdrew its ambassadors to Washington and Canberra to show its displeasure. France's fellow European Union members in the European Union were taken aback, after they had released a major policy paper on the IndoPacific that deserves much more attention.

1. Ambassador Abensour on why the breakdown of the deal with Australia is a breach of trust and consistency in this region? (3:25)
2. Steps being taken to fix this breach of trust while maintaining important relationships with allies (5:27)

3. Ambassador Abensour on the long-term French approach to the Indo-Pacific? (8:08)

4. The EU's approach paper titled the EU Strategy For Cooperation In The Indo-Pacific: Ambassador Piorko on the EU’s approach, and how different it is from the US and Japanese approaches (13:15) 
5. Can France pursue an Indo-Pacific strategy without close cooperation with the Aukus and Quad powers? (21:19)
6. How Europe views Asean's efforts to cut a deal with China on a code of conduct for the South China Sea (34:50)

Produced by: Ravi Velloor ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa'izah Sani

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim & Fa'izah Sani

Subscribe to our Asian Insider Podcast channel to follow our various shows each week and rate us on your favourite audio apps:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/Ju4h 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Read Ravi Velloor's columns: https://www.straitstimes.com/authors/ravi-velloor

Follow Ravi Velloor on Twitter.

Discover the Asian Insider newsletter. 

Discover Asian Insider Videos

---

Discover ST's special edition podcasts:

Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2

Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB

Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn

---

Discover more ST podcast series:

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

SG Extra: https://str.sg/wukR

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas

Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#STAsianInsider

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suresh Tantia, senior investment strategist, Credit Suisse discusses what's driving the wild swings in natural gas prices in Europe and what that means for global growth and equities.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey 2019, revealed that Singaporean teachers were clocking in an average of 46 hours a week. But only 18 hours were spent on teaching, with the other hours going to administrative tasks and school activities. Yvonne Soh, Co-founder, Noodle Factory, shares the various factors contributing to why the teachers are 'overworked', as well as how AI and technology can help lighten the load.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the business of pawnbroking has long been a fixture in the economy, more customers now seek incentives beyond financial services from pawnbrokers. Ng Kean Seen, Deputy CEO, Maxi-Cash, shares how the business was able to modernise the idea of pawnshops, why the shift proved to work, and how they will continue to reinforce their position as a strong lifestyle brand. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore’s Parliament passed the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act, or Fica last Monday. It aims to tackle foreign meddling in domestic politics conducted through hostile information campaigns and the use of local proxies. But what does FICA really do? The Breakfast Huddle's Elliott Danker and Bharati Jagdish get Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law, Singapore Management University to help us understand this.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.