Taylor Swift is in Singapore this week, where she will play six sold-out gigs.
However, the performances, as well as the government's actions to safeguard them,
have strained relations between Singapore and surrounding Southeast Asian countries and territories.
Singapore announced this week that it reached an agreement with Swift's performance producers, paying an undisclosed quantity of money to ensure that Singapore was her sole stop in the area.
Rumors of the exclusive deal sparked outrage among Southeast Asian neighbors, with a Philippine lawmaker demanding an explanation,
Thailand's prime minister claiming Singapore paid millions of dollars per concert for the deal, and Hong Kong's chief executive insisting the city remained an appealing destination for mega events.
Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore's prime minister, defended the exclusive arrangement during a press conference on Tuesday.
"An agreement was achieved. As a result, the agreement proved to be extremely successful. "I don't see that as unfriendly," he remarked during an Asian conference in Melbourne.
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