Summary
Jonathan Seng is a diplomatic professional with 11 years of experience in Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, currently serving as First Secretary (Political) at the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta. Trained at Peking University and Georgetown (MA in Asian Studies, 3.85 GPA), he blends deep China expertise and research experience on U.S.-China relations with hands-on regional postings covering Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and China. Effectively bilingual in English and Mandarin and a C1-level Bahasa Indonesia speaker, he pairs language skills with open-source Mandarin research and translation work that contributed to published analyses on Chinese foreign policy. A former research assistant to a senior US Asia policy scholar and intern at CSIS’s China Power Project, he brings both academic rigour and operational embassy experience to political reporting and bilateral engagement. Notably, his background spans frontline consular and defence experience as a former Vehicle Commander in the Singapore Armed Forces, reflecting a practical understanding of security alongside diplomatic practice.
11 years of coding experience
3 years of employment as a software developer
Master of Arts - MA, Asian Studies, 3.85, Master of Arts - MA, Asian Studies, 3.85 at Georgetown University
Bachelor's degree, International Relations, Bachelor's degree, International Relations at Peking University
The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
GCE A Levels, Geography, China Studies in English, Mathematics, Economics, AAAB/A, GCE A Levels, Geography, China Studies in English, Mathematics, Economics, AAAB/A at Hwa Chong Institution
Chinese, Indonesian, Chinese, English