The end of the liberal world order

Speech delivered in Parliament on 3 March 2025

This is the 10th time that I am addressing the Committee of Supply (COS) as the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and I have never seen the world more disrupted, more volatile, or more dangerous. So, this is a more sombre, careful and brutally frank message that I am delivering this year. The common thread in all the interventions so far has been this big question: Has the post-WWII liberal world order come to an end? This is a world order which has prevailed for 80 years. In 2025, Singapore celebrates our 60th anniversary. It is also the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. In these six decades, successive generations of hardworking and disciplined Singaporeans have built up our tiny city state into an outstanding beacon of economic and social success. That we did so without any natural resources or past fiscal reserves is all the more remarkable.

Speech and Q&A at the Institute of Policy Studies Singapore Perspectives 2019 Conference

28 January 2019

Thank you, Janadas, for that slightly unconventional introduction. Let me first say that today you’ve had a history lesson from Professor Wang Gungwu, a politics lesson from George Yeo, another session on economics from Chng Kai Fong, and then a session from Marty Natalegawa and Bilahari Kausikan on regional diplomacy. I’m going to try – and I say try because you’re all very long-suffering and have been here for many hours – but I’m going to try to synthesise all these elements into a coherent concept.

Smart Nation - Impact of the Digital Revolution on middle class jobs and free trade

Edited Transcript of Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s interview with Bloomberg on 22 August 2017

VB: Two key points. First don’t blame trade; the real game in town is the technological revolution. The second point; don’t just aim to onshore obsolete jobs. There are no quick fixes. You need to focus. There are new jobs being created. The key challenge for governments is to ensure that people are ready with the right skills, relevant capabilities, to take on these new jobs. It’s not a quick fix, it’s not glamorous, it’s hard work, but it needs to be done.

Wide ranging discussion on Singapore’s relations with the USA, Israel, and the importance of free trade for continued peace and prosperity.

In memoriam GD Balakrishnan (1930-2016) & Helen Ong Yong Sang (1928-1998)

We bade our final farewell to my dad today. My parents are now together again.

We would like to thank all of you for the solace from your kind condolence messages. I am sorry that I haven’t been able to respond individually.

I made this tribute in honour of my father’s life.

My father was the most cheerful, caring and loyal man I have ever known.

To care for you, protect your families, invest and build our collective destiny together - Sim Ann, Liang Eng Hwa, Christopher de Souza and I promise, as we have just announced that we will stand for election in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC. Dr Teo Ho Pin will stand again in Bukit Panjang SMC.

Dr Teo has served in Bukit Panjang for almost twenty years, most of which as Chairman of the Town Council. He is also been Mayor of North West CDC. He knows everyone, every nook and cranny of his constituency and indeed our entire GRC. Both he and I have been here since the original formation of the GRC in 2001.