Lye Liang Fook

Research Interest
China's foreign policy towards Southeast Asia; China-US relations and implications for Southeast Asia; China's key initiatives such as Belt and Road, Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative; China-Singapore relations

Current Research

• Wang Yi’s reappointment as foreign minister and implications for Southeast Asia
• China-Singapore relations including progress on the Suzhou Industrial Park, Tianjin Eco-city and Chongqing Connectivity Initiative

 

Researcher’s Profile

Liang Fook is Senior Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. His research interests cover China’s foreign policy and initiatives like the Belt and Road, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. He is particularly interested in China’s engagement with Southeast Asia, especially China-Singapore relations. He was part of a team that conducted a review of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park, the first government-to-government (g-to-g) project between the two countries. He follows developments on two other g-to-g projects, namely the Tianjin Eco-City and Chongqing Connectivity Initiative. He was previously the Coordinator of the Regional Security and Political Studies Programme and Coordinator of the Vietnam Studies Programme at ISEAS. Before ISEAS, he was Research Fellow and Assistant Director at the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore. For several years, he managed the Secretariat of the Network of East Asian Think-Tanks (NEAT) and Network of ASEAN-China Think-Tanks (NACT) and participated at these two Track 1.5 forums to promote regional cooperation.

 

Selected Publications

• Selected Fulcrum Pieces:

  “Personnel Changes at China’s Foreign Ministry: Beijing Will Stay Course on Southeast Asia”, 15 August 2023, by Lye Liang Fook

  “China’s ‘Model’ Relationship with Southeast Asia: Significance and Limitations”, 27 April 2023, by Lye Liang Fook

  “Vietnam Not Veering Closer to United States or China”, 1 December 2022, by Lye Liang Fook and Ha Hoang Hop

  “Containing the Covid Scourge in South Vietnam”, 23 August 2021, by Ha Hoang Hop and Lye Liang Fook

• Lye Liang Fook, “Singapore-China Relations: Seeking Continued Relevance Through Greater Connectivity”, in The Belt and Road Initiative: ASEAN Countries’ Perspective, Yang Yue and Li Fujian eds. (Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2019), pp. 191210.
• Lye Liang Fook, “International Department and China’s Foreign Policy”, in The Chinese Communist Party in Action, Zheng Yongnian and Lance Gore eds. (London and New York: Routledge, 2019), pp. 243-267.
• Lye Liang Fook, “Singapore-China Relations: Building Substantive Ties amidst Challenges”, in Southeast Asian Affairs 2018, Malcolm Cook and Daljit Singh eds., (Singapore: ISEAS Publishing), pp. 321-339.
• Lye Liang Fook and John Wong, “2030 Vision for ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership: Singapore’s Perspective” in 2030 Vision for ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership: Perspectives from Think-Tanks, Guo Yanjun ed. (Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2018), pp. 111-120.
• Lye Liang Fook, “Engaging China and the China-Singapore Forum”, in Tommy Koh: Serving Singapore and the World, Yeo Lay Hwee, Peggy Kek, Gillian Koh and Chang Li Lin eds. (Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2018), pp. 45-51.
• Lye Liang Fook, “China’s Media Portrayal of ASEAN: From Antagonism to Euphoria to Circumspection”, in Politics, Culture and Identities in East Asia, Lam Peng Er and Lim Tai Wei eds. – East Asian Institute’s Series on East Asia (Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2017), pp. 95-104.
• Zheng Yongnian and Lye Liang Fook eds., Singapore-China Relations: 50 Years (Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2016) – a book to commemorate Singapore’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
• Lye Liang Fook and John Wong, “Singapore-China People-to-People Exchanges: A Singapore Perspective”, in 50 Years of the Chinese Community in Singapore, Pang Cheng Lian ed. (Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2016), pp. 237-256 – a book to commemorate Singapore’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
• Lye Liang Fook and John Wong eds., The Challenge of Making Cities Liveable in East Asia (Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2016).
• Lye Liang Fook, “China and Global Governance: New Emphases Amidst a Cautious Approach”, in China Entering the Xi Jinping Era, Zheng Yongnian and Lance L. P. Gore eds. (London and New York: Routledge, 2015), pp. 317-338.
• Lye Liang Fook, “Suzhou Industrial Park: Going Beyond a Commercial Project”, in Advancing Singapore-China Economic Relations, Saw Swee-Hock and John Wong eds. (Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Publishing, 2014), pp. 62-93.
• Zheng Yongnian, Wilhelm Hofmeister and Lye Liang Fook eds., Parliaments in Asia: Institution Building and Political Development (London and New York: Routledge, 2014).
• Lye Liang Fook, Towards Eco-cities in Europe and Asia – Sharing of Best Practices and Experiences: An Introduction, in Eco-cities: Sharing European and Asian Best Practices and Experiences (Singapore: Select Book Pte. Ltd., 2014).
• Zheng Yongnian and Lye Liang Fook eds., East Asia: Developments and Challenges, East Asian Institute’s Series on Contemporary China – vol. 32 (Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2013).
• Lye Liang Fook, “Twenty Years of China-Singapore Diplomatic Relations: An Assessment”, in China and East Asia: After the Wall Street Crisis, East Asian Institute’s Series on Contemporary China – vol. 33, Lam Peng Er, Qin Yaqing and Yang Mu eds. (Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2013), pp. 205-224.
• Lye Liang Fook, “NEAT Working Group on Energy Security Cooperation”, in Managing Regional Energy Vulnerabilities in East Asia (Case Studies), Zha Daojiong ed. (London and New York: Routledge, 2013), pp. 108-127.
• Lye Liang Fook and Chen Gang eds., Towards a Liveable and Sustainable Urban Environment: Eco-Cities in East Asia (Singapore: World Scientific Press, 2010).