Purpose In recent years, Singapore successfully concluded FTA negotiations with the largest trading blocs in Latin America, potentially becoming the first extra-regional actor to have access to almost 90% of the region’s markets. This paper aims to explore the motivations that led Singapore to approach Latin America, and how it is connected to its foreign policy at large. Design/methodology/approach Through the adaptation of the concepts of geopolitical codes and hedging, this paper applies a discourse analysis of official speeches and statements from Singaporean officials, combined with a survey of existing literature to produce a thematic analysis. Findings The characterization of Latin America as a region open to trade, with a constant emphasis on the like-mindedness between Singaporean and Latin American leaders, makes Singapore policymakers targeting Latin America as a natural place to extend its network of commercial and investment agreements. This is consistent with the Singaporean tertiary hedging strategy, seeking the continuation of a rules-based economic international order as fundamental for its own prosperity and ultimately, its own survival, in the face of increased geopolitical uncertainty. Originality/value Increasingly close ties between Southeast Asia and Latin America remain an unexplored subject of study, and the key role played by Singapore in the process of inter-regionalism deserves more attention. Acknowledging the importance of language as an element of social practice, this article seeks to contribute to the existing literature, by unveiling Singaporean interests in its interactions with Latin America from a constructivist perspective.
Fabricio A. Fonseca (Mon,) studied this question.