Goh Keng Swee Lecture on Modern China
In commemoration of EAI’s 25th Anniversary
Sponsored by the late Professor Saw Swee Hock

Topic:
China in a Multipolar World

Speaker:
Mr George Yeo
Visiting Scholar, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore; former Singapore Cabinet Minister 19902011

Date & Time:
Thursday, 15 December 2022
5:00 pm 6:30 pm (Singapore Time)

00:00:00

00:00:33
Introduction by
Prof Bert Hofman
Director, East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore

00:04:33
Welcome Address by
Dr Teh Kok Peng
Chairman, East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore

00:10:09
Lecture by Mr George Yeo

1:18:30
Q & A moderated by Prof Bert Hofman

The Goh Keng Swee Lecture on Modern China series was inaugurated in 1997 to honour the founder of the East Asian Institute (EAI), Singapore’s former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Goh Keng Swee. EAI gratefully acknowledges the support of the late Prof Saw Swee Hock for the lecture series. Prof Saw was the founding professor of statistics at the University of Hong Kong (19691971) and professor of statistics at NUS (19751991). NUS’ Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health and the Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre at the LSE are named after him. Prof Saw had dedicated his sponsorship of the lecture series to Dr Goh, in particular for founding EAI and for promoting strong economic relations between Singapore and China.

Abstract of Lecture:
Multipolarity has different dimensions, not only political, economic and military. There will also be differences in value systems which will be expressed in social relationships and in the relationship between the state and the individual. China has always been its own pole and is a natural proponent of multipolarity in the world.

About the Speaker:
George Yeo is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore, and the Founding Patron of its Asia Competitiveness Institute.

Mr Yeo was with Kerry Group in Hong Kong from 2012 to 2021. He was Chairman and Executive Director of Kerry Logistics Network from 2012 to 2019.

From September 1988 to May 2011, he served 23 years in the Singapore Government, and was Minister for Information and the Arts, Minister for Health, Minister for Trade & Industry and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Mr Yeo has a BA in Engineering (Double First) from Cambridge University and an MBA (Baker Scholar) from Harvard University.

He began his military career as a Signals Officer in the Singapore Army, crossed over to the Air Force, became ChiefofStaff of the Air Staff, and Director of Joint Operations and Planning in the Defence Ministry attaining the rank of BrigadierGeneral.

Mr Yeo was a Member of the Pontifical Commission for Reference on the EconomicAdministrative Structure of the Holy See in 20132014 and the Vatican Council for the Economy from February 2014 to July 2020.

Mr Yeo is a member of the Board of Trustees of Berggruen Institute on Governance, International Advisory Panel of Peking University, Senior Advisory Council of Beijing Forum, International Advisory Board of IESE Business School, International Advisory Council of China’s Eco Forum Global Guiyang, International Advisory Board of Japan’s National Graduate School for International Policy Studies (GRIPS), Global Advisory Board of MUFG, the External Advisory Board of the European University Institute’s School of Transnational Governance and the Board of Governors of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation. Mr Yeo is an Independent NonExecutive Director of AIA Group listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Pinduoduo listed on NASDAQ and Creative Technology listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange. He is an advisor to Brunswick for its Geopolitical Initiative, Singapore’s V3 Group, Huawei International Pte Ltd in Singapore, Winning International Group and Gurin Energy Group.

Mr Yeo was the Conference Chairman of the Singapore Summit from 2012 to 2016.

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