Perspectives From Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan

NEW YORK, September 26, 2018 - Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan speaks on the current political realities and economic future for the country and the ASEAN region. Following the address, he discusses topics ranging from digital innovation to the impact of a U.S.-China trade standoff on Singapore, with Asia Society Policy Institute President Kevin Rudd. (1 hr., 27 min.)

[@sabrecruz6721]

This is a perfect example of a "neutral" accent of a Singaporean.

[@danyaradimacher6581]

The Minister is an excellent public speaker, he's easy to follow and listen too and doesnt mumble either! :) So thumbs up to Singapores Minister

[@nurmuhammadbinabdullah]

I agreed with you......adam..a.s

[@chyangnganc4427]

Qqqq

[@chyangnganc4427]

@@nurmuhammadbinabdullah q

[@chyangnganc4427]

@@nurmuhammadbinabdullah qqqqqqqàààqà

[@chyangnganc4427]

@@nurmuhammadbinabdullah àqqàà

[@jennifer-oc6io]

I am so proud of our ministers like Vivian, he is a constructive n intelligent politician not easily seen in Europe

[@faridabdullah9306]

This Minister will go far to lead Singapore forward.

[@8xster8]

He's been saying what andrew yang is saying before andrew yang said it. Man singapore produces good leaders.

[@paultan4240]

Wow...why are Singaporean Ministers all so SMART...🥰🥰

[@pradeepkumarsharma5130]

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan really good speaker. I m not supporter of china but what he said about china is true.

[@frankiekimtee3181]

CHINA can help you, just be patient because still 700 million people are still living poor. After coming 15 years, 100 % is better than USA. CHINA will help you and the rest of the world

[@kinwong3627]

very well spoken man.

[@suppiahsinniah6908]

Vivian is a good speaker.

[@simonsimon2888]

He is a superb convincing debater.

[@ciarankelly4338]

Enjoy listening to the Minister!

[@thatkoalabear]

Thank you for uploading this video I watched and listened to every single bit of it. Learned so much and really appreciate ur upload once again stay awesome Asia channel

[@gloriawheatley-holder7080]

One Nation, One People, One SIngapore 🇸🇬 Majula Singapura

[@blaxerx]

Majulah Singapura !

[@jacobeksor6088]

I’m Montagnard indigenous love Singapore country , I love to go there one day .

[@kayg.vegan.singapore]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Please don't feel surprise with the agility and the excellence of Singapore Nation. I'm a Singaporean. Whatever Dr Balakrishnan said is damn true! If you gót time let's feel free to google "THE GDP PER CAPITA" of Singaporeans.

[@sunnylifeflower3467]

This is the best talk I heard since the tensions built up between USA and China

[@davidnga6522]

Building trust and goodwill ! Spot-on !!! More ! Kudos !

[@fchjcvb3322]

Thank You Dc Vivian Balakrisnan..

[@kwongwong6387]

Singapore has one of the best form of governments in the world, the Pseudo Democratic Government (the opposition party has no power). However, it is efficient and effective to get things done easily, similar to the former British Colonial HONG KONG Authoritarian Government. A Tale of Two Cities, the 2 Small Dragons in ASIA. The current Chinese Socialist Authoritarian Government is in the same category.

[@skychaos87]

What i don't understand is how people would readily use democracy as a benchmark to judge societies. In reality democracy is no more than a governing model like many others, there is no absolute righteousness in any governing ideologies. What matters is good governance, regardless of the ideology. Democracy can be good if the population are educated and cultured, it can also degrade into populism if the population are uneducated or hijacked by plutocracy. Likewise with socialism cum authoritarian governance where people can be subjected to tyranny or can be unified and led by strong and good leader. China and Singapore has shown the most balanced governance based on pragmatism and efficacy. In short, good governance. The same cannot be said for western democratic governance today, especially America's, which has obviously been hijacked by plutocracy(1 dollar 1 vote system) and degraded to populism(population are manipulated to vote and politicians rally for votes not progression or good governance).

[@arrowstheorem1881]

But where is the transparency? You are assuming without knowing the truth which is what you don't know . How do you know of there is no transparency?

[@skychaos87]

​@@arrowstheorem1881 What kind of transparency are you talking about? And what kind of truth are you looking at? We are making judgement on the governance whether if its good or not based on the livelihood and standard of living of the people. Both Singapore and China came into prosperity within a short span of 30-40 years, having started from a third world state. So i'm confused here about the transparency you are talking about. Not sure about China but to my knowledge, Singapore especially in LKY's era have be highly transparent and clear about its intention behind its policies. LKY have largely been explicit with the reality and truths and also the reasoning behind his tough and strict policies and laws. The same however, cannot be said for the west. Especially America where people are promised freedom and democracy. But in reality, its been hijacked by plutocracy /watch?v=PJy8vTu66tE and has quickly degraded into populism in the past 10-20 years. Transparency isn't going to do shit when the population are under educated and blindsided by an unrealistic ideology. Americans today still think freedom, rights and democracy are free and of absolute righteousness. What's worst is that they think they have it all when in reality its all crumbling down. I urge that you pick up on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and you'd know that democracy, freedom and even the transparency(the entitlement to know everything) falls under the higher needs of esteem, which is far less important than the basic needs of physiology and safety. When people don't have enough food to eat, good healthcare, education and safety, there is just no way people would come together voting for common goal or long term progression. More often than not, people would get in power for their own gains or rally people for votes instead of progression. Its why over 50% of the democratic countries around the world remains poor and suffering. Its only the western countries that enjoyed long term(but non sustainable) democracies, because they had the good fortune of colonizing the world and reaping others of their resources(thus securing their basic needs). Today when Asia rises, especially China and India, they are out competing the west left and right, up and down. /watch?v=NK0Y9j_CGgM Yet Americans are still being fed the idea that they are themselves exceptional and morally superior and its always the outside world that are unfair, cheating and terrorizing them. /watch?v=kZU0IXO7AQw Like i said, good governance is the most important, regardless of the governing ideologies. Americans are seeing things in reverse, not realizing that their governing ideology has become a political dogma and they are spiraling down into a bottomless pit. Again, i'm not sure what kind of transparency you are talking about, but i do hope i have given you some insight on the western political sphere making it somewhat transparent to comprehend.

[@jkjkjk100]

Kwong Wong exactly... CCP is simply trying to copy Singapore and LKY in a larger scale

[@bimlaroy2596]

Good speech I like it

[@westwoodly]

Excellent speaker - crystal clear and convincing! Talented in his medical profession too! Could it be that he has a good mix of genes? He is a good example of how 1 + 1 = 3

[@richardchak696]

1 + 1 = 3 will be uncompetitive, think out of the box 1+1 is equals 11 that is the competitive advantage of the future 3 is of the past.

[@bimlaroy2596]

True dr

[@patrickchong6579]

Singapore is blessed with talented leaders. Mr. Vivian is one prime example.

[@louislim1151]

He is Dr Balakrishnan.

[@44bett]

U.S.A. golden era was 1945-1975 for our middle and working class, then came the 1980's(Reagan Era). During this time we got huge tax cuts for the rich, decimated unions, wage cuts, millions of manufacturing jobs allowed to leave, and US began to borrow money to pay its debt. Our decline began in the 80's, but with new leadership and policies we can get an America that helps all and not just a few.

[@nurmuhammadbinabdullah]

What is the difference between online trade and real-time trade.....?

[@nooooobi2]

He poured that drink to Aussie's PM glass first just in case it was poisoned.

[@westwoodly]

... but he drank it first. An excellent example of Asian- Singapore courtesy.

[@bretmonbart5240]

1:02:20 1:14:44

[@Gman979]

He was a student activist during his university days quite critical on Singapore govt then. But now he is the g man. What gives?

[@junpintay7848]

Tharman was a communist, people change

[@westwoodly]

You were a kid. Now you are a man/woman.

[@arrowstheorem1881]

Why the word "Vivian"?

[@cck53sg]

Its an Indian name for boys

[@MikeyJJJ]

There's a bit of tongue in cheek teasing of his name over here in Singapore. He's more popularly called Vivi, especially by his constituents.

[@simonsimon2888]

China should count her blessings with the opening to world in 1979. Foreign investments into China have benefitted the Chinese at large.

[@frankiekimtee3181]

No ,,you shorts of labor and high costs,,can goes buncrap

[@good2freelance1]

now ''everyone is a publisher ...'' that was funny and true at 44.20

[@wingwahwingwah8089]

Man never grown up still behave like children: Observe how children weep and cry, so that they will be pitied, how they wait for the moment when their condition will be noticed, Or live among the ill and depressed, and question whether their eloquent laments and whimpering, the spectacle of their misfortune, is not basically aimed at hurting those present. The pity that the spectators then express consoles the weak and suffering, inasmuch as they see that, despite all their weakness, they still have at least one power - the power to hurt.

[@crystalyeowchingching1036]

新加坡去和别的国家合作吧 ！！！

[@frankiekimtee3181]

Why Singapore can't make own aircraft like China since your Education is better than the world

[@skyng1970]

Because Singapore don’t like china thief lol

[@frankiekimtee3181]

@@skyng1970 copying is not stealing

[@dkj6946]

Pointless to do so, requires too much capital cost and easier to acquire. But we do modify with variants on fighter jet planes like F15 SG

[@stevechen8085]

Get educated and talk some sense

[@vincentxiao601]

Wow. First time I heard Education equates to Manufacturing. Genius.

[@bbddpbukit2838]

pengampu

[@island993]

Done nothing for Singapore. Only know how to talk.

[@vincentxiao601]

Ya lor. Some even worst, don’t even know how to talk.

[@michaellee3314]

Don't embarrass yourself by making sweeping statement.

[@island993]

@@michaellee3314 name me one good thing he has done

[@eugenesim9195]

Your mother CB also knows how to talk ! No wonder you have a stinky CB mouth !

[@Justyn_Lim_]

@@island993 He's a diplomat. Diplomats work behind the scenes so that their own countries are not harmed by any forms.