Singapore at Sixty - Special Episode 36

As Singapore approaches its 60th anniversary, it confronts a “fraying” international order driven by US–China rivalry, prompting a pragmatic “many-friends” foreign policy, deepening ASEAN centrality, and active bilateral partnerships to safeguard strategic autonomy . Domestically, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s smooth succession and the Forward Singapore consultations aim to refresh the social compact ahead of GE2025, fostering inclusiveness and shared responsibility . Economically, Budget 2025 balances near-term support—via vouchers, rebates, and wage schemes—with long-term investments in AI, R&D, green infrastructure, and SkillsFuture under Smart Nation 2.0 . On the social front, rising living costs, housing affordability strains, demographic headwinds, and immigration pressures test cohesion, leading to expanded BTO launches and enhanced family incentives . Overall, Singapore pursues a multi-pronged strategy of diplomatic balancing, adaptive economic management, political consolidation, and social renewal to chart its path forward .