Buy my beloved country

Chinese naval vessels threaten Philippine patrol boats off the shores of the Philippines… China claims sovereignty over the Spratleys in the South China Sea... China unilaterally establishes an East China Sea Air Defence Identification Zone. Will an economically ascendant China become a military bully? East Asian nations, having enjoyed half a century of spectacular economic growth, now find themselves mired in a new world hotspot. What can an economically weakened USA, still distracted over the Middle East, and facing fresh challenges in Europe, do to reassure its Pacific allies that Uncle Sam can be counted upon to come to their aid? Suddenly, the citizens of the tiny city-state of Singapore find their island nation at the very heart of global geopolitics... with an offer that spells wealth for every citizen – every man, woman and child. Heart-wrenching discussions take place: from the coffee stalls of the heartlands to the rarefied dining rooms of the nation’s elitist clubs. In the run-up to a referendum in which Singaporeans will have to make hard choices, the heatedly sensitive, soul-baring arguments threaten to divide families and friends... In this novel, so chillingly plausible that Singaporeans will argue about it for years to come, Lee Chiu San, a former journalist who became a car dealer, examines the relationship between a country and its citizens. Are the ties that bind them purely financial or more emotionally deep-rooted? How will Singaporeans change the course of world history?