Overview

• Prime Minister Lawrence Wong highlighted the fraying of the post–World War II US-led international order, which has underpinned Singapore's stability and prosperity for six decades.
• The intensifying US-China rivalry is reshaping global geopolitics, with both nations seeking to pull others into their respective spheres of influence.
• A full-blown trade war between the US and China, marked by escalating tariffs, is accelerating economic decoupling and creating significant global market instability.
• Domestic pressures in the US, including disillusionment with globalization and costly foreign engagements, are driving an inward turn and reduced overseas commitments.
• Countries in Asia and Europe are reevaluating their reliance on US security guarantees, with debates intensifying on bolstering defense capabilities and exploring previously unthinkable measures.