Politics

Fewer Chinese travelers came to Singapore in December 2018, with arrivals down 3% on the year.
Economy

Southeast Asia eases visa rules to counter fall in Chinese tourists

Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia woo visitors from new markets

1 March 2019
Singapore’s Economic Development Board announced that the country’s manufacturing output for January dropped 3.1% from a year ago, marking the first year-on-year decline since December 2017.
Economy

Singapore manufacturing slump portends regional slowdown

City-state sees first output decline in 13 months

26 February 2019
Singapore sets foreign worker quotas for each sector to control labor inflow.
Economy

Companies face higher costs as Singapore cuts foreign workers

State wants to improve productivity but weak economic outlook weighs on its plans

19 February 2019
The Singapore government will spend more on social development this year, including support for the elderly and low-income households.
Politics

Singapore expands support for elderly and low-earners as election nears

Budget for 2019 focuses more on social development, less on economy

18 February 2019
Singapore's spending on health care and other social programs will rise in 2019.
Economy

Southeast Asia's expansionary fiscal budgets put markets on edge

Governments struggle to maintain growth amid trade war and looming elections

16 February 2019
The pact is the first between the EU and a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. (Nikkei montage/Reuters) 
International relations

EU-Singapore investment deal at risk of delay over debt rule

Main free trade pact passes, but loophole leaves related agreement vulnerable

14 February 2019
The Malaysian vessel Polaris, left, and Greece-registered Piraeus collided off the coast of Singapore on Feb. 9. (Photo courtesy of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore)
International relations

Malaysian ship collision in Singapore waters adds to tension

Incident with Greek-registered freighter risks deeper spat over maritime border

10 February 2019
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, center, visited Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in November 2018.
Comment

Mahathir still living in the shadow of Lee Kuan Yew

Recent tough stance toward Singapore reflects rocky relations of the past

6 February 2019
A worker assembles parts at BMW Group factory in Jakarta.
Economy

Southeast Asia bucks trend of sinking global foreign investment

Strong markets make region the world's main driver of FDI growth

4 February 2019
Hong Kong's long run at the top of the Heritage Foundation's annual "Index of Economic Freedom" appears in jeopardy.
Politics

Hong Kong risks loss of leadership in 'economic freedom'

Weakened judiciary opens way for Singapore in Heritage Foundation ranking

29 January 2019
Singapore, due to its strategic location, is an important partner for China in Southeast Asia.
Belt and Road

Singapore to be dispute resolution hub for Belt and Road

City state sets up mediation panel to settle conflicts between China and project locations

24 January 2019
Tan Cheng Bock ran for President in 2011 but lost by a thin margin. 
Politics

Singapore prime minister's brother backs an opposition heavyweight

Lee Hsien Yang calls his older sibling's rival 'the leader Singapore deserves'

24 January 2019
Smooth and effective implementation is the key to the success of CPTPP.
Opinion

The Unsexy Challenge of CPTPP

Members must focus on implementing the trade accord, or risk embarrassment

23 January 2019
Tan Cheng Bock announced the formation of a political party to challenge the ruling party's dominance.
Politics

Singapore politics heats up with speculation over early election

Former presidential candidate ignites challenge to city's longtime ruling party

21 January 2019
A Japanese P-1 maritime patrol aircraft fires flares during a fleet review. South Korea denies that one of its warships locked fire-control radar on a P-1 plane in the Sea of Japan last month.
International relations

Japan and South Korea sit down to defuse radar dispute

Defense officials meet in Singapore, but stick to their positions

15 January 2019
Singapore postponed a meeting with Malaysia to discuss joint developments after Johor's chief minister visited a Malaysian vessel parked in disputed waters.
Malaysia in transition

Singapore-Malaysia spat sets back joint development projects

Bilateral meeting canceled despite agreement to de-escalate tensions

14 January 2019
An airport employee prepares to board a Singapore Airlines plane. The city-state's strategy to ramp up airport capacity has sparked a major backlash from Kuala Lumpur.
International relations

Malaysia and Singapore set month of truce to settle airspace spat

Foreign ministers also agree to set up working group to discuss maritime dispute

8 January 2019
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is at odds with his younger sister and brother regarding their father's will. (Getty Images)
Politics

Family feud involving Singapore's prime minister reignites

Daughter of city-state's founder says Lee Kuan Yew's will has been attacked

7 January 2019
A ceremony for the first China-ASEAN Maritime Exercise, held in October 2018: Many Southeast Asians say China and the U.S. are on a collision course in the region.
Trade war

Southeast Asians feel caught in US-China fight for hegemony

Survey of opinion leaders finds skepticism of Belt and Road runs deep

7 January 2019
Seletar Airport, located in the northern part of Singapore, is used for chartered flights. (Photo by Kentaro Iwamoto)
Malaysia in transition

Singapore-Malaysia tensions still simmer ahead of bilateral talks

Kuala Lumpur sets restricted airspace near border to exclude civil flights

3 January 2019
Although China has tightened its information controls, the country has also shown an interest in helping to create shared, international rules governing data management.
International relations

WTO seeks to ban government raids on corporate data

China and US open to multilateral effort led by Japan, Singapore and Australia

3 January 2019
The government forecasts GDP to grow between 1.5% and 3.5% in 2019, said Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, seen here addressing the 33rd ASEAN summit in November.
International relations

Singapore's Lee sounds alarm over trade tensions

US-China feud makes it harder 'to be friends with both,' leader warns

1 January 2019
The lifetime ban against Tim Leissner is an extension of the 10-year prohibition that Singapore issued against him in March 2017.
Malaysia in transition

Singapore orders lifetime ban on ex-Goldman banker for 1MDB scandal

Tim Leissner charged in US with conspiring to embezzle funds, bribe officials

19 December 2018
A plane takes off from Singapore's Seletar Airport. Cranes are seen in background a few kilometers away in Malaysia. (Photo by Kentaro Iwamoto)
International relations

Singapore's SE Asian airport hub ambition lies behind spat with Malaysia

Plans to boost capacity of little-known airport spark backlash by Kuala Lumpur

15 December 2018
Seletar Airport, in the north of Singapore, is typically used for chartered flights. Cranes can be seen in the background, a few kilometers away in Malaysia, across a narrow body of water. (Photo by Kentaro Iwamoto)
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia takes airspace spat with Singapore online

Kuala Lumpur reduces vessels in disputed waters ahead of bilateral talks

12 December 2018