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Asia’s middle powers’ activism a plus for regional stability
Singapore is an example of strategic activism among middle powers, which is often determined not by their size, but by their mindset.
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Despite being one of the smallest countries in the world, Singapore has managed to develop close relations with both the US and China, as well as many other middle powers.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Huong Le Thu
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As geopolitical crises expand and proliferate, and major powers find themselves preoccupied with mutual rivalry – along with, in many cases, pressing domestic issues – the room for so-called middle powers has grown in the international arena. So much so that some believe it is these middle powers which will be the architects of the new world order, even though their increasingly proactive diplomacy is for now largely uncoordinated.
Middle powers, by no means a new or a uniform concept, are broadly understood as countries that are neither “major” nor “small”, and which are well integrated into the global economy.
