 Today I'm joined on the sidelines of the Crawford Australian Leadership Forum by George Yeo, the former Singaporean Foreign Minister. George, thanks very much for taking the time. Thanks for having me. So of course, given the state of the world today, we're all interested in shifts in regional and global orders. What's your take on where we're heading? Are you worried about the state of the world? Well, for Asia, which for me includes Australia, I'm optimistic. The big factor is the rise of China, and China is developing quite nicely. Xi Jinping has been a remarkable leader, cleaning up the system and bringing great clarity to the efforts of the country. So because of that, we are seeing China integrating the economies of the region in an ever-growing concentric circle. And I think it's beginning to include Australia as well. So one Belt, one Road. We hear a lot about it. And from your vantage in both Singapore and Hong Kong, what does it look like? It's epic. And the Chinese describe it as a 100-year project for the century. Of course, there will be difficulties. Everywhere there will be difficulties. But like a rising tide, it will flow where the resistance is least initially. Then eventually, all will be swept along. We're seeing in civilization now. I've been to Laos, Cambodia, to Myanmar. I have a company now in Central Asia. And the last two years for my annual report, I've entitled it more or less, Riding the New Silk Road. And it is a great tide. And so from a Singaporean perspective, do you imagine that this century is going to be a benign one? Is this a century where Singapore's recent success and prosperity is maintained? Well, I think whether the new China tide will flow smoothly depends on relations between the US and China. That is the single biggest, most important relationship on Earth today. Happily, both sides are on the whole rational. And even though they've got to, each has got to prepare for the worst-case scenario. I think it's unlikely that we get to that quadrant because that's loose loose. Not just for them, but for all of us. More likely that they'll find other quadrants to move into. And so is there a win-win scenario here? Oh, absolutely. China is so big. Every country that deals with China naturally wants diversification. And the US will be welcomed by all these countries. You take, say, Vietnam or Kazakhstan or Korea, each vis-a-vis China is tiny. So naturally, they will welcome others to be in the game. In a sense, the US is a free rider on China's growth. That's an interesting point to make because, of course, there are those concerned that US and Chinese strategic competition almost inevitably leads towards tension, perhaps conflict. You don't seem to read the situation in that way. Well, you know, all this talk about the Thucydian trap. Of course, we have to worry about it because there are people in dark rooms on both sides whose job is to worry about the dark scenarios. And they're about to make preparations. It's part of the job, part of the profession. I've been in the military before, so I know the kind of thinking that grips their minds. So, but living that aside, if you look at it economically in terms of all the other aspects of normal life, families, companies, intellectual cooperation, there's everything to gain and very little, everything to lose by a titanic conflict between the two. And if there's a conflict between the two, it's not just on the ground. It would be air, land, sea, underwater, seabed, cyberspace, outer space. It would be on all dimensions. And the Chinese diaspora in the US, in Australia, in other parts of the world, they'll be torn apart. And I cannot imagine either side wanting such an outcome. So even though there are difficulties, I think eventually after some trials of strength, they'll find points of equilibrium. But it requires careful, continuous and intensive management. It's a wonderful note on which to end this brief interview. Thank you very much, George Yeo, for your time and also for joining us here in Canberra for the Crawford Australian Leadership Forum. Thank you. My pleasure.