The Straits Times
24 September 2014
- RSIS
- Media Mentions
- U.S. Cannot get Distracted from Asia: Shanmugam
U.S. Cannot get Distracted from Asia: Shanmugam
While acknowledging the many global challenges now vying for America’s attention, both Singapore Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam and White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice sought to reaffirm the US’ continued engagement in Asia.
Speaking at the launch of the Lee Kuan Yew Chair in South-east Asia Studies at Brookings Institution in Washington, Mr Shanmugam made the case that the US cannot afford to let itself get distracted from its goals in Asia.
Noting the raft of changes currently taking place in the region, he said: “There are many crises, Middle East and other regions, which demand America’s bandwidth. But there is no region in the world where American influence is as likely to be challenged as seriously as in East Asia.”
…Dr Joseph Liow, associate dean of Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, will be the first person to take up the position that is meant to be rotated every two years among academics from South-east Asia.
RSIS / Print / Online
