Singapore's former foreign minister George Yeo discusses superpower tensions, including Taiwan as a 'ticking time bomb,' US-China rivalry, and the potential cracking of the US dollar in his latest interview. He also covers Trump, the recent China-Japan dust-up, and competition between Hong Kong and Singapore.
George Yeo is a visiting scholar at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He began his career in the military before entering politics in 1988. Over 23 years in the Singaporean government, Yeo held ministerial portfolios in arts, health, trade, and served as foreign minister for seven years. After leaving politics, he was vice-chairman of Kerry Group in Hong Kong from 2012 to 2021 and chairman and executive director of its logistics arm from 2012 to 2019.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Yeo describes Taiwan as a 'ticking time bomb' and explores ways to defuse the risk of military conflict across the Taiwan Strait. He discusses Trump's influence, the latest China-Japan dust-up over the Ryukyu Islands, South China Sea tensions, and the potential for a BRICS currency to challenge the US dollar. Yeo also reflects on the legacies of Deng Xiaoping and Lee Kuan Yew, the Greater Bay Area's development, ASEAN's role, and geopolitical issues in the Philippines and Myanmar.
Yeo highlights 'headaches' in superpower relations and warns of possible cracks in US dollar dominance, while comparing the rivalry between Hong Kong and Singapore as financial hubs. The interview, published on December 22, 2025, offers insightful perspectives on Asian diplomacy.
