China–U.S. Rivalry: Singapore FM on ASEAN Pragmatic Non-Alignment

Singapore’s foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, at a public forum moderated on Friday, said Southeast Asia is refusing a China–U.S. binary.
Singapore’s foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, at a public forum moderated on Friday, said Southeast Asia is refusing a China–U.S. binary. (Photo by Edgar Su / POOL / AFP)

Singapore’s foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, at a public forum moderated on Friday, said Southeast Asia is refusing a China–U.S. binary choice between China and the United States.

Balakhrisnan thinks Southeast Asia is pivoting to integration, keeping economies open to both, while linking “power grids, connecting cables, connecting fiber, connecting pipes, connecting bits, connecting digital payment systems.”

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by Edwin Shri Bimo

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