As the 45th President of the United States, Mr Donald Trump's policies and behaviour will have major implications on Singapore and our future ("New era begins as Trump is sworn in as US President"; Jan 21).

It is helpful to remember Mr Trump's words in his book The America We Deserve, where he wrote that a dealmaker knows how to be tough and when to back off, and when to bluff and when to threaten, being prepared to carry out the threat.

He added that a dealmaker is cunning, secretive, focused and never settles for less than what he wants.

If Mr Trump's book is to be believed, then his campaign rhetoric may just be tricks in the dealmaker's toolkit.

In dealing with a dealmaker, we must ensure that we do not fall into the traps of panic and greed, two major enemies of a sound economy.

We need to avoid overdependence on the US, mitigate our risks and chart our own path in the new era of disorder.

Patrick Liew Siow Gian (Dr)