Alice Ba pertinently observes in her introductory essay to this series that Southeast Asia has become a key arena in the ongoing U.S.-China rivalry; regional countries are under growing pressure to choose between the two powers. For Singapore, this competition has provoked a debate on the extent of agency in the conduct of the city-state’s foreign policy. Two perspectives have emerged in this regard.
The Philadelphia Orchestra will perform in China for the 11th time in November. It is the first time since 1973 that the orchestra has visited China. The visit is part of a series of cultural exchanges between China and the U.S. The concert will mark the 50th anniversary of the first visit to China by the Philadelphia Orchestra. It will also mark the 40th year of the opening of the China-U.S.-Philippines Friendship Tunnel. The trip will be the first of its kind in the world.