新加坡正将自身定位为欧洲联盟（EU）与东盟之间的桥梁，因为这两大集团仍在继续其旷日持久的讨论，以敲定一项自由贸易协定（FTA）。
Singapore is pitching itself as a bridge between the European Union (EU) and Asean, as the two blocs continue their protracted discussions to seal a free trade agreement (FTA).
然而，缅甸的政治不确定性是达成欧盟-东盟自贸协定的一大障碍，据一名分析师称，新加坡明年接任东盟轮值主席国时，将不得不发挥关键作用以打破僵局。
However, Myanmar’s political uncertainty is a major hurdle towards an EU-Asean FTA, and Singapore will have to play a key role to break the deadlock when it assumes the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year, according to an analyst.
在上周与德国总理弗里德里希·默茨（Friedrich Merz）的联合记者会上，总理黄循财表示，新加坡将寻求推进这项期盼已久的自贸协定的合作。
At a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last week, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said Singapore would seek to advance cooperation on the long-awaited FTA.
他说：“我们认识到这将具有挑战性。这很复杂，但我们可以对推进工作抱有一些信心，因为欧盟也已经开始与个别东盟国家签署双边自贸协定。”东盟-欧盟自贸协定谈判始于2007年，但于2009年暂停，随后于2017年恢复讨论，此后进展有限。
“We recognise that it will be challenging. It is complex, but we can have some confidence in moving forward because [the] EU has also started to have bilateral FTAs with individual Asean countries.”Negotiations for an Asean-EU FTA began in 2007 but were paused in 2009 before discussions resumed in 2017, with limited progress since.
欧盟分别于2019年和2020年与新加坡和越南达成了单独的自贸协定，而马来西亚本月表示，与欧盟的类似协定很可能将于明年6月前敲定。
The EU concluded separate FTAs with Singapore and Vietnam in 2019 and 2020, respectively, while Malaysia said this month that a similar agreement with the bloc would likely be finalised by June next year.
据报道，泰国旨在今年底前结束与欧盟的自贸协定谈判，印度尼西亚也在寻求与该集团达成此类贸易协定。
Thailand is reportedly aiming to conclude talks with the EU for an FTA by the end of this year, while Indonesia is also seeking such a trade pact with the bloc.
黄循财说：“我们也在着眼贸易之外，探讨如何将我们的两个数字体系整合在一起。”他指出，欧盟与新加坡已有贸易协定，而东盟已建立了数字经济框架协定（DEFA）。
“We are also looking beyond trade to seeing how we can bring our two digital systems together,” Wong said, noting that the EU and Singapore already had a trade agreement with each other and that Asean had established a Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA).
DEFA 旨在改善区域内管辖数字支付、数据流动和在线商业的体系之间的兼容性，计划于11月在马尼拉举行的东盟峰会期间签署。
Targeted to be signed during the Asean summit in Manila in November, DEFA aims to improve compatibility between systems governing digital payments, data flows and online commerce across the region.
亚太经济咨询公司（Asia-Pacific Economics）首席执行官拉吉夫·比斯瓦斯（Rajiv Biswas）警告称，缅甸的政治局势在短期内对东盟与欧盟敲定自贸协定构成了“重大障碍”。
Rajiv Biswas, CEO of Asia-Pacific Economics, warned that Myanmar’s political situation posed a “significant hurdle” in the near term for Asean to seal an FTA with the EU.
欧盟今年早些时候将针对缅甸的制裁延长至至少2027年5月，措施包括冻结资产和禁止入境，针对该国高层领导人、官员、企业高管和实体。欧盟集团也不承认其所谓缅甸于2025年12月至2026年1月举行的大选的“非法结果”，该选举由缅甸军政府组织。
The EU earlier this year extended its sanctions against Myanmar until at least May 2027, with measures including asset freezes and travel bans targeting the country’s senior leaders, officials, business executives and entities. The bloc also does not recognise what it calls the illegitimate results of Myanmar’s general election held between December 2025 and January, which was organised by the country’s military junta.
尽管如此，据比斯瓦斯称，新加坡明年担任东盟轮值主席国时，可发挥作用，促成欧盟与缅甸对话，缩小分歧。周二的记者会上，黄循财也推介新加坡作为人工智能枢纽的优势。
Nonetheless, Singapore could play a role as Asean chair next year to facilitate talks between the EU and Myanmar to narrow their differences, according to Biswas. During the press conference on Tuesday, Wong also pitched the city state’s merits as an artificial intelligence hub.
他说：“我们规模小、紧凑，社会高度互联。我们有法治，有明确的知识产权保护。”
“We are small. We are compact. We are highly connected as a society. We have [the] rule of law. We have clear protection for intellectual property,” he said.
“我们在医疗、物流、金融和先进制造等领域看到大量机遇，能真正推动实际人工智能解决方案部署的前沿发展。”自成为总理后首次对新加坡进行正式访问的梅尔茨将类人机器人、网络安全和人文交流列为未来双边合作的优先事项。
“We see a lot of opportunities in sectors like healthcare, logistics, finance and advanced manufacturing where we can truly push the frontiers in terms of the deployment of actual AI solutions.”Merz, who was in Singapore for his first official visit since becoming chancellor, identified humanoid robots, cybersecurity and people-to-people ties as priorities for future bilateral cooperation.
梅尔茨周二在伊萨—尤索夫·伊沙克研究所举办的讲座上单独表示，利用新加坡、韩国和日本等亚洲国家的人工智能能力，将减少欧洲对美国公司获取新技术的依赖。
Speaking separately at a lecture organised by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute on Tuesday, Merz said tapping the AI capabilities of Asian countries such as Singapore, South Korea and Japan would reduce Europe’s reliance on US companies for new technologies.
欧盟驻新加坡大使阿提斯·贝尔图利斯周三在“欧洲创新之夜”活动上表示，新加坡可成为欧洲科技企业拓展地区市场的门户。
Artis Bertulis, the EU’s ambassador to Singapore, said at the European Innovation Night on Wednesday that Singapore could be the gateway for European tech companies to expand in the region.
贝尔图利斯对一群初创企业主、投资者和政策制定者说：“作为欧盟的关键伙伴和东南亚创新与投资的领先枢纽，新加坡为欧洲深度科技公司的蓬勃发展提供了沃土。”
“As a key partner of the European Union and a leading hub for innovation and investment in Southeast Asia, Singapore provides a fertile ground for European deep-tech companies to thrive,” Bertulis told a crowd of start-up owners, investors and policymakers.
比斯瓦斯表示，新加坡可以通过首先聚焦数字贸易和投资保护等领域，帮助推动欧盟与东盟自由贸易协定的进程。
Biswas said that Singapore could help advance towards an EU-Asean FTA by initially focusing on areas such as digital trade and investment protection.
他补充说，欧盟与若干东盟成员国现有的自由贸易协定，以及正在进行的相关谈判，为双方集团达成贸易协定奠定了坚实基础。
The existing FTAs between the EU and several Asean members, as well as ongoing related negotiations, had provided a firm foundation for the two blocs to seal their trade pact, he added.