The Evolution of Singapore’s National Security LegalFramework (2021–2025)

Abstract

In recent years, a systematic increase in the international activity of the People’s Republic of China has been observed, aimed at strengthening its position within the global balance of power. Scholarly literature increasingly points to actions involving interference in the internal affairs of other states, including operations conducted in cyberspace, for which the PRC has been held responsible by, among others, the European Union. Among the states particularly exposed to cyber threats is the Re-public of Singapore, a situation closely linked to its strategic geographical location in the region of the Malacca Strait—a key maritime route for China’s trade with Africa and the Middle East. In response to the growing range of security challenges, Singapore has adopted far‑reaching legislative measures in-tended to safeguard national security by restricting and gradually eliminating foreign influence within its territory. The aim of this article is to analyse the key legal acts adopted in the Republic of Singapore between 2021 and 2025. The study focuses in particular on the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA), the Significant Investments Review Act 2024 (SIRA), as well as the most recent amend-ment to the Cybersecurity Act 2018, enacted following the July cyberattacks on Singapore’s critical infrastructure. The article also examines critical assessments of these regulations expressed in selected media sources. The analysis employs the institutional‑legal method and the method of critical analysis.