新加坡最高外交官称，尽管世界大部分地区正面临日益增长的不确定性，但东南亚经济因技术需求激增而迅速扩张，这正是一个他称之为“充满巨大潜力”的时刻。
Singapore’s top diplomat touted what he called “a moment of great potential” for Southeast Asia, as economies expand rapidly on surging technology demand even as much of the world faces growing uncertainties.
周三在一次会议上的发言中，新加坡外交部长维文·巴拉克里希南表示，半导体和人工智能是该地区经济超越预期的主要驱动力。他指出，这个城邦国家今年上半年经济增长了6.1%，而台湾则超越中国，成为其最大的贸易伙伴。
Speaking during a conference on Wednesday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said semiconductors and AI were major drivers helping the region’s economies outperform expectations. He noted that the city-state expanded 6.1% in the first half of the year, with Taiwan overtaking China to become its biggest trading partner.
“在一个疯狂的世界中，在世界秩序崩溃、贸易中断、供应链受到冲击的背景下，我们仍在实现显著增长，”他说，“事实上，增长幅度高到让人开始担忧——为什么会这么高？”在全球人工智能繁荣浪潮中，亚洲的强劲经济体占据了贸易增长的大部分份额，因为它们生产着全球各地数据中心所需的芯片和其他设备。世界银行指出，多个亚洲经济体的高科技出口表现超出预期，其中越南预计2026年将增长7.4%，印度尼西亚为5.2%，马来西亚为5.1%。
“In the midst of a crazy world, in the midst of the breakdown in world order, the breakdown in trade, the disruption to supply chains, we’re having significant growth,” he said. “In fact, to the point where you start having to worry — why is it so high?”Asia’s powerhouse economies have seized the lion’s share of trade growth in the global AI boom, because they make the chips and other equipment needed for data centers springing up around the globe. The World Bank cites several Asian economies that have outpaced expectations on high-tech exports, with Vietnam expected to grow 7.4% in 2026, Indonesia 5.2% and Malaysia 5.1%.
新加坡的电子产品出口在8月份同比激增132%，该国已将2026年的经济增长预测上调至4.5%至5.5%之间。随着企业将生产布局到更多地点，越南和马来西亚在电子供应链中的作用也得到加强。
Singapore’s electronics exports surged 132% in August from a year earlier, and the island nation has upgraded its 2026 economic growth forecast to between 4.5%-5.5%. Vietnam and Malaysia have likewise strengthened their roles in electronics supply chains as firms spread production across more locations.
但世界银行也警告称，如果全球对人工智能相关技术的投资放缓，该地区对该产业的依赖可能会成为其弱点。
But the World Bank has also warned that the region’s dependence on AI-related industry could become a weakness if global investment in the technology slows.
巴拉克里希南承认了这项技术本身带来的风险，并表示“失控是一个真正的威胁”。他还指出，流氓国家和非国家行为体可能利用人工智能开发新的破坏形式，包括在化学、生物和大规模杀伤性武器领域。
Balakrishnan acknowledged the risks posed by the technology itself, saying “loss of control is a real threat.”He also said rogue states and non-state actors could use AI to develop new forms of disruption, including in chemistry, biology and weapons of mass destruction.
如果人工智能热潮转为泡沫，亚洲将处于经济风险的锋线。不过，新加坡明年将主持被称为东南亚国家联盟的区域集团，这位外交官表示，该地区应利用这一势头深化经济一体化。
Asia on Front Line of Economic Risk If AI Boom Turns to Bust Still, with Singapore set to chair the regional bloc known as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year, the diplomat said the region should use the momentum to deepen economic integration.
“这是一个充满巨大潜力与风险的时刻，”巴拉克里希南说道——随后又补充道：“其中也蕴含着巨大的商业机遇。”
“This is a moment of great potential and peril,” Balakrishnan said — later adding: “There’s also a lot of money to be made.”