The global economic order is undergoing a profound structural shift. For decades, international trade was governed by a predictable, rules-based system designed to maximise economic efficiency and comparative advantage. Today, that system is being quickly dismantled. Trade, investment, and supply chains are no longer viewed solely through an economic lens; they have become primary battlegrounds for national security, economic coercion, and geopolitical rivalry.

Singapore should address Washington’s forced-labour concern directly, but a modest tariff reduction would not by itself justify a wider economic-security agreement.

Economic interdependence was once expected to guarantee peace. It now fuels resentment

Resilience has become a familiar term in recent years, especially after COVID-19, supply chain disruptions, rising geopolitical tensions and rapid technological change. But today, resilience is no longer just about recovery. It is about how countries and regions adapt and rethink how they operate in a more uncertain and fragmented world. For ASEAN, this challenge is particularly complex. Resilience looks different across emerging technologies, global value chains and health and other non-traditional security issues. And policy choices in one area can create vulnerabilities in another. In this episode's of Policy Unpacked, join our expert panel, LKYSPP's Dr. Denis Hew and Dr Miguel Gomez, Senior Research Fellows at the Centre on Asia and Globalisation, SMU's Associate Professor Chang Pao Li and RSIS' Professor Mely Anthony, as they explore what resilience really means for ASEAN and what it will take for the region to remain competitive, resilient and secure.