Singapore’s existence and success derive in part from its achievements in the domestic political arena and in part from the skilful management of a well-defined foreign policy with clearly identifiable goals and issues. A visible core of realist self-reliance is layered with the demands of a competitive trading state that requires a liberal international trading regime. Hence, both competitive and cooperative philosophies support Singapore’s foreign policy. This text charts the philosophical underpinning of Singapore’s foreign policy output and the institutions responsible for it and examines the importance of economic and defence diplomacy that are central to Singapore’s foreign policy output. It gives particular attention to the two most important regional bilateral relationships -- with Indonesia and Malaysia -- and how relations with its adjacent neighbours have influenced Singapore’s foreign policy. Combining first-hand research with excellent analysis, this volume provides a much-needed report on the survival of a small state in the globalizing world.

The conventional understanding of Singapore''s foreign policy can be summarized in three main propositions: first, it is dictated by the imperatives of being a small state; second, its primary purpose is to ensure Singapore''s survival, given its small size; and third, this logic of survival dictates a realpolitik approach to foreign policy and national security. This book argues that an exclusively realist view of Singapore''s foreign policy is inadequate. Singapore''s foreign policy is also shaped by the positive effects of economic interdependence and regional institution-building OCo instruments that realists tend to dismiss, but which Singapore has self-consciously tried to promote as instruments of regional order. The book first looks at the evolution of Singapore''s foreign policy, before analyzing Singapore''s international relations and national security in the context of economic growth and terrorism. It concludes with an interesting chapter on the impact of the rise of China and India on the regional landscape. Sample Chapter(s). Introduction: Rethinking Singapore''s ForeignPolicy (435 KB). Chapter 1: The Evolution of Singapore''s Foreign Policy: Challenges of Change (468 KB). Contents: Introduction: Rethinking Singapore''s Foreign Policy; Part I: Foundations: The Evolution of Singapore''s Foreign Policy: Challenges of Change; The Economic Foundations of Singapore''s Security: From Globalism to Regionalism?; Part II: Adaptations: Diplomacy in Hard Times: Singapore Confronts Global Terrorism and Regional Regression; Waging the War on Terror: Singapore''s Responses and Dilemmas; Singapore and Southeast Asia in a Fast-changing Landscape: Coping with the Rise of China and India. Readership: Undergraduates, graduates and academics in foreign policy and international relations; government ministries; general readers interested in Singapore issues."

Singapore’s existence and success derive in part from its achievements in the domestic political arena and in part from the skilful management of a well-defined foreign policy with clearly identifiable goals and issues. A visible core of realist self-reliance is layered with the demands of a competitive trading state that requires a liberal international trading regime. Hence, both competitive and cooperative philosophies support Singapore’s foreign policy. This text charts the philosophical underpinning of Singapore’s foreign policy output and the institutions responsible for it and examines the importance of economic and defence diplomacy that are central to Singapore’s foreign policy output. It gives particular attention to the two most important regional bilateral relationships -- with Indonesia and Malaysia -- and how relations with its adjacent neighbours have influenced Singapore’s foreign policy. Combining first-hand research with excellent analysis, this volume provides a much-needed report on the survival of a small state in the globalizing world.

This thesis argues that Singapore's foreign policy seeks to maximise order, and not power. Hence, it proposes that the English School theory, with its focus explaining why a high degree of substantive order exists in an anarchical context is therefore a more appropriate tool to analyse Singapore's foreign policy. To substantiate this point, this thesis examines Singapore's foreign policy towards Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and India to show how this city-state has managed to conduct its relations with them within the framework of an international society. Japan is excluded because this thesis focuses on states that have the greatest potential to affect Singapore by virtue of three main considerations - geographical distance, future impact on regional geopolitical developments, and ethnicity. Due to their geographical proximity, Malaysia and Indonesia are arguably the states most important to Singapore. China and India, as the rising powers, constitute unknown variables since the nature and effects of their rise are still not clear, and Singapore's foreign policy needs to be sensitive towards developments there. At the same time, Singapore is a predominantly ethnic Chinese state with a sizeable Malay minority that constitutes the majority in the region as well as a significant Indian minority, a demographic reality that has influenced its foreign policy as well. Japan is an important actor. However, compared with these four states, Japan has comparatively less impact on Singapore in these areas, and so it is not included. Literature on Singapore's foreign policy is almost entirely based on Realism. Consequently, the resultant focus is on the conflictual, adversarial, and anarchical aspects, and associational aspects are overlooked. According to Realist theory, Singapore would be dominated by these larger states. This thesis draws attention to the fact that inter-state relations are not moderated solely by material considerations such as geographical and population sizes as depicted by Realism. Associational aspects are present as rules, values and norms also matter, which allows small states such as Singapore to interact with these larger states, both bilaterally and multilaterally, on the basis of formal equality. This shows that Singapore is able to influence the terrain in which its foreign policy is being conducted, which is apparent in its pursuit of a stable balance of power that involves all legitimate actors. As a result, a high level of order characterises its foreign policy, and this congruence justifies the use of the English School theory in this context.

What tools will international relations theorists need to understand the complex relationship among China, Japan, and the United States as the three powers shape the economic and political future of this crucial region? Some of the best and most innovative scholars in international relations and Asian area studies gather here with the working premise that stability in the broader Asia-Pacific region is in large part a function of the behavior of, and relationships among, these three major powers.

In the years following its traumatic separation from Malaysia, Singapore has risen to become one of the leading economic powers in Southeast Asia. This economic strength has carried it through the recent East Asian economic crisis, as well as providing the resources for an excellent defence capability. Singapore's diplomatic achievements include relationships with countries across Asia and Europe, and ensure its interantional status, Yet, despite this success, Singapore's foreign policy has continued to be influenced by a deep seated sence of its own vulnerability. Politicians from the first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, onwards have focused on Singapore's limited physical size, potential domestic and international frailty due to racial tension and confirmed geographical location. These factors have combined to create a powerful nation-state which has never allowed itself to take its sovereign status for granted. Singapore's Foreign Policy is the first full-length English-language study of this subject and is an essential resource for all those interested in Singapore's international role.