As he looks ahead to 2013, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is cautiously optimistic. Lee believes Europeans have made some progress in trying to defuse the euro debt crisis, and while tensions between China and its neighbors have risen because of territorial disputes, he is confident about the role the U.S. plays as part of President Obama’s increased focus on the region. Lee, 60, spoke about these and other topics in a wide-ranging interview in his office on Nov. 26 with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief Matthew Winkler and reporter Shamim Adam. Some highlights:
Do you think the global outlook is improving or diminishing?
