Transcript of Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's Interview on CNA's "Singapore Tonight", 27 February 2026

CNA: Joining me in the studio tonight is Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. Minister, welcome to the show.

Minister: Thank you for having me.

CNA: You started your speech today in Parliament warning that the world is becoming more dangerous to small states like Singapore. What do you see as the biggest dangers that Singapore is facing and are we prepared?

Minister: Several. First, because of the breakdown of the rules-based world order, the risk of war and conflict has risen. Second risk the global economic system – global supply chains, multinational corporations – is at risk of unravelling. You hear about tariffs applied. You hear great uncertainty on what tariffs levels. You hear of interruptions to global supply chains. The third risk is that all this is happening while the technological revolution is occurring. The flavour of the month and the year is AI. The impact on jobs, the risks to societies - all these need to be sorted out. We have got multiple potential crises on our hands at the same time.

CNA: To meet these crises you also said that Singapore must retain its ability to say ‘no’ especially in this turbulent world. What are Singapore’s ‘no’s’ and what are the red lines that we will not cross? How do we safeguard our safety?

Minister: I have set out our national interests – protecting our independence, protecting our access to essential supplies, standing up for international law and maintaining Singapore's critical role as a trusted, reliable hub. These are non-negotiable. But we are going to have to defend this in the face of more pressure, in the face of more attempts to divide us and to erode our resolve. I was sending an alarm bell to Singaporeans: expect more turbulent weather, expect more pressure, and expect that there will be times when we will have to stake out our position – particularly when it diverges from a major power – and courteously, respectfully and constructively say ‘no’. There is an art to doing this, but the reason for doing this carefully and deliberately is that it is a reflection of our independence. Second, it gives assurance to them that we are acting in our assessment of long-term national interests and not as a proxy to be used by one power or other against another. So, avoiding the collisions but still staking out our national interests. The other thing is to work with partners where we can have common cause. That is where the question of middle powers and ASEAN comes in. It is going to be a delicate and very challenging time for everyone, not just for foreign affairs, but also home affairs, defence, the economic ministries, particularly the digital ministries; we are all going to be very, very busy.

CNA: You talk about how the tension between the two big powers, US and China, is at the forefront of this. How is Singapore steadying itself, especially when the giants in the room are fighting each other? How do we posture?

Minister: You have to be prepared both for conflict as well as a condominium. The key lesson I take away from that is – do not take sides. Uphold principles, be consistent, and after a while, everyone knows what Singapore stands for, and Singapore's foreign policy is predictable. That predictability and consistency actually takes some pressure off us. Right now, I can say our relations with both America and China are in an excellent state. We know them well. We have great strategic, economic, and defence relations, and we are able to work constructively. Our investments, our people-to-people exchanges, our economic links are all doing very well, but we cannot afford to be complacent.

CNA: Big powers aside, Singapore is also expanding to meet new partners. We have new embassies in Mexico City and Addis Ababa. Also, in Sabah and Sarawak, we are looking at some new consulates there. But what opportunities do you see in these regions?

Minister: In a world with a geostrategic recession or rupture, there are still many other partners out there who still believe in international law, who still believe in free trade, who still believe in mutual interdependence, and in the concept of multilateralism. By this, I include countries across Europe, the other rising middle powers India and Japan, and of course there is Africa and Latin America. There are many people, many other entities and regions who still want to make common cause. That is why we are also expanding our diplomatic footprint to widen that net and to seek safety in numbers.

CNA: Talking about safety, there are some rather troubling reports of misinformation narratives targeting Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. How seriously does MFA take these influence operations?

Minister: We take these seriously, but we must not overreact. The point is to anticipate, to inoculate ourselves. So when we receive a report or an interesting video, which nowadays is most likely generated from AI, we ask ourselves some questions. Where did this come from? What agenda is behind this latest video or this latest campaign? Who benefits from it, who loses from it? The point is to raise the level of awareness. Singaporeans are rational, pragmatic, well-informed people, and we just want to make sure that we are aware, we think about it, we do not overreact to it. If we can maintain that posture of realism and wariness without becoming cynical or paranoid, we will be all right.

CNA: Awareness aside, are there any diplomatic levers we can use to protect ourselves in this light?

Minister: The most important lever is domestic. What are other countries looking at? Everyone knows Singapore is multi-racial, multi-religious. Everyone knows Singapore is small. Everyone knows Singapore has succeeded because we were a metropolis in an era of globalisation. What they are watching for is whether Singaporeans realise the rules of the game have changed, whether we are engaged in a fundamental restructuring of our economy, whether the necessary social safety nets are being put in place, and whether we are able to maintain a cohesive and united body politic domestically. That is the most important. I always say, “foreign policy begins at home”, because that is what other countries are assessing. If they are trying to weaken us or pressure us, it will seep in through domestic channels.

CNA: As you say, unity is the first line of defence.

Minister: Absolutely.

CNA: With the growing geopolitical tensions, there is a risk that some Singaporeans might feel drawn to conflicts overseas. How is MFA going to tackle this issue?

Minister: All of us will respond somewhat differently to different conflicts in different parts of the world depending on the stakeholders. We have to accept that as a given. But what we need to do is to have another layer of understanding, of appreciation and of analysis, that enables and also reminds us that those are not fundamentally our fights or our conflicts. Yes, we have our sympathies and yes, we do want to express our values, and in particular, compassion, humanitarianism, international law and an informed, conscious and careful, deliberate discussion. Sometimes even difficult discussions need to be had. But I am still an optimist, and I believe in the good-heartedness and the clarity of mind of Singaporeans.

CNA: All right, thank you so much, Minister for sharing your perspectives with us today. I have been chatting with Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.

Minister: Thank you.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

27 FEBRUARY 2026