Because of my time living in Singapore, I got to know Mr. George Yeo for quite some time. I have always been very impressed with his intellect and thoughtful insights. Recently, in Jun 2023, he gave a few lectures and conversations about China that I highly recommend everyone to watch. They are:
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Many of you may find his comments to be uncomfortable, untrue and may evoke strong emotions because they are not what you have been seeing in Western media. Well, no one is forcing you to continue to watch or to listen to him. But if you want a different perspective, a different view from the typical Western media, you will find George Yeo’s talks deeply insightful. And of course, you can check the accuracy of his remarks/facts yourself.
China in Europe’s Future and Europe in China’s Future – A keynote speech by George Yeo Summary
This summary was generated with the help of AI.
Former Foreign Minister of Singapore George Yeo shares his perspective on China’s role in Europe’s and vice versa.
Highlights
- 📈 China’s economy performed well during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their supply chain crisis highlighted their production for the entire world.
- 🚢 Ships were pulled to Chinese ports during the pandemic causing a critical deficiency in the shipping industry.
- 💰 China’s merchandise trade surplus increased from $535 billion (2020) to $870 billion (2022), leading to a global buying spree by Chinese investors.
- 🧪 China has a long history of managing pandemics effectively, going back to the Warring States period.
- 🗳️ The 20th Party Congress was a critical moment for the Chinese Communist Party, coinciding with the outbreak of Omicron in Shanghai.
- 🌏 George Yeo emphasizes the importance of understanding diverse academic views and academic freedom when discussing global issues.
- 👥 The SDG and External Advisory Board celebrate the inauguration of the new auditorium and the completion of the second-year Master’s theses.
What we get wrong about China. George Yeo in conversation with Alex Stubb
This summary was generated with the help of AI.
George Yeo, former government minister of Singapore, discusses China’s role in the world and what the West gets wrong about it in conversation with Alex Stubb. He believes Europe’s understanding of China is vital to managing the fragile relationship between the US and China, stating that Europe’s position can make the difference between war and peace on the planet. Yeo also believes that to approach China, one must watch the entire video of its civilization and history, not a few snapshots, so that it can be better understood and managed.
Highlights
- 🌍 Europe’s position can make the difference between war and peace on the planet.
- 🇺🇸 There is a growing belief in the US that China is a threat to US dominance in the world and must be curbed, controlled, or even gone to war with if necessary.
- 🇨🇳 The Chinese people are not expansionists, they find it troublesome to incorporate other nationalities into the body polity, and China’s history and philosophical underpinnings must be understood to manage the relationship better.
- 🏛️ China has a very different character than Europe and India because of its political culture of seeing the ideal in being a united polity.
- 👥 China’s homogeneous population of 1.4 billion is deep in its culture and a very conservative civilization that has always been autocratic to organize.
- 💰 China has gone from rags to riches, becoming one of the biggest economies in the world after opening up in 1979.
- 🌏 A better understanding of China is essential to managing the relationship with it as a world power.
The Conversation on the Indo-Pacific with George Yeo, Former Foreign Minister of Singapore summary
This summary was generated with the help of AI.
In this conversation with former Foreign Minister of Singapore, George Yeo, he discusses the importance of understanding the geopolitical and geo-economic issues in the Indo-Pacific region. Yeo highlights the need for deep understanding of China and warns against reducing China to stock phrases when making policies about the rising superpower. He also notes the significant role Europe will play in deciding the issue of War and Peace in the world.
Highlights
- 💡 Yeo highlights the need for understanding geopolitical and geo-economic issues in the Indo-Pacific region.
- 💡 He emphasizes the need for deep understanding of China and warns against reducing China to stock phrases when making policies.
- 💡 Yeo notes that Europe will play a significant role in deciding the issue of War and Peace in the world.
- 💡 He praises Hungary’s efforts to preserve its identity and the importance of maintaining a separate identity in an age of globalization.
- 💡 Yeo points out that Hungary is probably the most Asian of the European peoples due to its practice of putting the family name first.
- 💡 He discusses the dangers of lightly playing with the issue of Taiwan and the need for a deep understanding of history.
- 💡 Finally, Yeo stresses the importance of understanding the world in order to act skillfully.
Consider the speaker self interest motivation/agenda
Listening to George Yeo reminds me of what Kevin Rudd talked in the past about the same topic/issues. A big reminder (again) to myself is always consider the speaker’s own motivation, self-interest and agenda and do NOT believe 100% what they are saying. Take one example, Kevin Rudd has been asked about Taiwan many times over the past ten years. I have listened to his answers multiple times but now, based on what George Yeo shared, I realized that Kevin has not been sharing the entire picture, but only a snapshot. The fact that he didn’t share the larger context, the entire video led me to think in a certain way. Now, my thinking starts to change and I will need to remind myself to double-check everyone’s words more carefully. George Yeo talked about the Cairo Declaration and you can read about it from the US state department website here.
Last but not least, here is another great conversation/speech by George Yeo a few months back in Hong Kong.