WORLD - Singapore 2011

Singapore merlion and towers (Peter Garnhum via Flickr Creative Commons)
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"Singapore Bursts With Energy, But Change Can Be Disturbing" by Michael D. Mosettig, PBS Newshour 2/10/2011

Excerpt

A tiny city-state of nearly 5 million people (more than 70 percent ethnic Chinese) occupying a 263-square-mile island on the tip of the Malay peninsula, Singapore lives in a neighborhood increasingly in the shadow of a vast nation of more than a billion people. Its bustling economy, now fully recovered from the 2008-09 crash, draws strength from China's, and its many think tanks and academic policy centers debate how Singapore positions itself between China, the United States and other regional players.

Singapore's size belies its influence in a dynamic Asia-Pacific region, where China may be the growing economic force, but its political muscle and diplomatic influence are still being tested.

Maintaining its freedom of action and maneuvering room are central tenets of Singaporean policy. Lee Kuan Yew, who led Singapore to independence and who now holds the title of Minister Mentor, makes no secret of his wish that the United States and the West stay engaged in the Asia-Pacific region. Singapore is not officially an ally of the United States, but the U.S. Navy is a visible presence in its seaports.

Lee has more recently been telling the other growing Asian power, India, to step up its regional engagement. Though more a reflection of past tensions with Malaysia and Indonesia than a deterrent to China, Singapore's conscript military includes officers who can do reserve duty up to age 50.

A first-time visitor can accumulate a collection of senses, experiences and contradictions. But going any deeper into a political system dominated by one party, and where following the local media requires an ability to read between the lines, is tricky at best. One senior Western diplomat said, "Learning what is going on here is like peeling the layers on an onion."