The Australian city of Melburne On Tuesday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore defended the exclusive arrangement that his city-state negotiated with pop diva Taylor Swift, which excludes any other Southeast Asian countries from hosting her current Eras Tour.
Swift is set to play six performances in Singapore from March 2 to 9, as part of an exclusive arrangement. However, her Southeast Asian neighbors are expressing their displeasure, claiming that they have missed out on the tourism boom that Swift's concerts have brought abroad.
To make Singapore her sole Southeast Asian destination, Swift was given "certain incentives" from a government fund that was set up to restore the tourism industry after the COVID-19 disruptions, according to Lee. He remained mum on the price tag of the transaction. According to him, the transaction was not unfavorable toward his ASEAN neighbors because it involved ten countries.
As it turns out, the arrangement was a huge success. Lee made the statement while attending an ASEAN leaders' summit in Melbourne, Australia, and he clarified that he did not perceive it as rude. Lee dodged the question of whether the pact had caused "bad blood" among other leaders. According to Lees, a nearby country might have made an exclusive deal if Singapore hadn't.
Occasionally, one nation will strike a deal, and other times, it will be another one. Lee clarified that he did not state expressly that coming here was contingent upon not going elsewhere. An agent for Swift did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Before Swift's flight to Singapore, she performed in Sydney and Melbourne, and Lee said he anticipated the Australian government to make "mutually acceptable, sensible arrangements" with her. Lee claimed ignorance on Australia's plans.
According to Lee, there's no reason not to do so if it's necessary to achieve a win-win outcome that benefits all parties and helps Singapore's economy flourish while also attracting visitors and goodwill from around the region
Would she have gone to one or more other Southeast Asian countries if we hadn't arranged for her to do so? Could be, could not be. According to Lee, "she will decide" on these matters. Anthony Albanese, the prime minister of Australia and host of the ASEAN summit, went to a Swift performance in Sydney last month.
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