Arrangement with Taylor Swift not an act of unfriendliness: PM Lee

Lee says Singapore aimed to bring in “visitors and goodwill” from all over Southeast Asia.

Singapore’s exclusive deal with Taylor Swift to make the country her only stop in Southeast Asia is not an act of unfriendliness, according to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

In a Q&A segment at his joint press conference with Australia PM Anthony Albanese, Lee said the arrangement with the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter was to come to Singapore and perform and make the country her “only stop in Southeast Asia.”

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“I do not see that as being unfriendly. Sometimes one country makes a deal, and sometimes another country does. I do not explicitly say you will come here, only on condition that you will go to other places. She came to Sydney. I think she had a very successful concert in Sydney. I do not know what the arrangements were, but I am sure that mutually acceptable, sensible arrangements were made.” Lee said. 

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“ If that is what needed to be done to get an outcome which is mutually beneficial, and which from Singapore's point of view, serves not just to grow the economy, but also to bring in visitors and goodwill from all over the region, I do not see why not,” the prime minister added. 

Lee added that with or without a deal, there was also no assurance that Swift would have come someplace else in Southeast Asia or more places in Southeast Asia: “These are things that she will decide.”

Lee said Singapore provided Swift with “certain incentives” from Singapore’s tourism recovery fund.

“It was the post-COVID-19 fund to revive tourism after COVID–19 and a deal was reached. So, it has turned out to be a very successful arrangement,” Lee added.

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