ABSTRACT
Singapore is a city-state with a population of only 5.6 million. Yet it is arguably a middle power in terms of capability and reputation. It is one of the richest countries in the world and a key financial, maritime and aerial hub, with a hi-tech military which has performed very well (anti-piracy, humanitarian disaster relief). Singapore also has soft power, being a model of economic development for China and India. Since 2010, the city-state has attended the G20 meetings – a signifier for big and middle powers. Singapore also has diplomatic clout as a founding member of ASEAN. But its status as a middle power is contested regionally by a rising China and domestically by Singaporeans who argue that it is more prudent in international affairs for a “small state to behave like a small state”. Whether Singapore can continue to punch above its weight remains to be seen. Simply put, it is not a given that Singapore will perpetually remain a middle power. That is contingent on the city-state’s canny ability to enhance its capabilities and burnish its reputation amidst the power transition in East Asia.
