The prime minister warns of a direct impact on Singapore’s trade if the international law framework is weakened
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenKolette LimPublished: 2:40pm, 13 May 2026Singapore will be directly hit by weakened principles in international sea laws as the city state depends on open and secure waterways to maintain its status as a trade hub, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has warned.He urged cooperation among like-minded countries to uphold and strengthen the framework of international legislation.
“As a trading nation, Singapore depends on open and secure sea lanes. International law, including the law of the sea, ensures that vital waterways remain open to all and are not subject to arbitrary control,” Wong said at the SGLaw200 Youth Forum held at the Singapore Management University.
“If these principles are weakened, it will not just affect distant regions. It will affect Singapore directly.”
He noted that the international law framework, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), was formed on the backbone of “devastating” wars and the acknowledgement that it was much safer for the world to be governed by rules instead of power.
A strong system of international law was vital for small countries such as Singapore and would provide a measure of stability and predictability, Wong said.
