COMMENTARY ON SINGAPORE (V1)

Thought-leaders contributing to this volume include Tommy Koh, Tan Tai Yong, Kishore Mahbubani, Bilahari Kausikan, Han Fook Kwang, and more!

This volume comprises essays by Singapore thought-leaders republished from various issues of Commentary, the annual journal of the National University of Singapore Society.

In the first section, chapters have been curated to provide historical context and analyses of Singapore's foreign policy. The second section presents views on the orientation, values and interests the new, fourth generation of national leaders might have to adopt as they address the emerging challenges in this policy domain so critical to the city-state's survival.

These highly accessible essays provide the general reader valuable grounding and frameworks for thinking about Singapore's approach in navigating the geopolitical shifts in its Asian neighbourhood.

Contents:

• Foreign Policy:
  • Singapore's Foreign Policy: Unique Features (Tommy Koh)
  • 50 Years of Singapore's Securitisation: Prospects and Challenges (Bilveer Singh)
  • 50 Years of Singapore's Connections with Europe (Yeo Lay Hwee)
  • Singapore and Southeast Asia: A Shared History and a Shared Destiny (Tan Tai Yong and Soh Yi Da)
  • Singapore's Foreign Policy: A Pioneer Diplomat's Reflections (Tommy Koh)
  • Singapore–China Relations: 2017–2027 (Lee Huay Leng)
  • Singapore's Relations with the United States of America (Daniel Chua)
  • Singapore and the ASEAN Secretariat: A Marriage Made in Heaven (Kishore Mahbubani)
  • Singapore's Foreign Relations with Malaysia (K Kesavapany)
  • When Relationships Change: Singapore–Indonesia Ties after Suharto and the Importance of Growing Together (Leonard C Sebastian)
  • Singapore's Excellent Relations with Post-War Japan: A Convergence of Interests and Values (Lam Peng Er)
  • Singapore–India: An Enduring Relationship (Gopinath Pillai)
  • Singapore–Australia Relations: The Role of Historical Ties, Personalities, Values and Interests (Eddie Teo)
  • Singapore's Relations with Europe (Tan York Chor)
  • Thinking about Russia: A Personal Perspective (Bilahari Kausikan)
  • Singapore and the United Nations (Vanu Gopala Menon)
  • Connecting and Collaborating to Change the World: Diplomacy in the Palms of Citizens (Jean Tan)
  • Singapore and the Preponderance of Power (Khong Yuen Foong)
• Governance and Leadership:
  • The 4G Question: Whither Exceptional Singapore (Han Fook Kwang)
  • A Thoughtfully Pragmatic Singapore (Kenneth Paul Tan)
  • Singapore: Asia's Diplomatic Hub (Parag Khanna)
  • Singapore's 4G Leaders' China Challenge (Peh Shing Huei)
  • Identity in Singapore Version 4.0 (Lydia Lim)
  • A Democracy of Words (Johannis Auri Bin Abdul Aziz)

Readership: Students, academics, policy makers, corporate sector officials and civil society activists, and general readers interested in Singapore.

Key Features:

• Written in a non-technical manner that is easily accessible to the general reader
• Provides quick references to the historical context and approach to Singapore's foreign policy as well as strategic and defence policy for the general reader or people not yet familiar with The Singapore Story
• Offers suggestions for fresh approaches or critical views on how the younger set of 4G national leaders can approach these issues in public policy circles