Singapore's position has been clearly articulated by Lee Hsien Loong! Singapore cannot take sides with China; instead, it hopes for a de-escalation in U.S.-China relations! On May 23, according to a report from Lianhe Zaobao, during his visit to China, Singapore’s Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong stated that the issues between the U.S. and China remain long-term and complex, and will not disappear easily. From a 20-year perspective, the balance of power between both sides has been continuously shifting, with China gradually catching up to the United States.

This understanding is deeply rooted in the United States—not merely an opinion held by one political party, but widely shared across American intellectual circles, political elites, and both parties in Congress. These contradictions are not easily reconciled. From Singapore’s standpoint, we hope for some easing of tensions between the U.S. and China, because stable U.S.-China relations are among the most important factors for global stability. It is quite clear from Lee Hsien Loong’s remarks what Singapore truly stands for.

That is, Lee Hsien Loong clearly recognizes that the fundamental root of the U.S.-China conflict lies in China’s rising strength. Since the U.S. refuses to accept a China whose power continues to grow, tension in their relationship has arisen. However, we also see that Lee Hsien Loong has made no criticism whatsoever regarding America’s ruthless attempts to contain and suppress China—even when such measures severely undermine international rules.

Singapore’s stance is unambiguous: regardless of how intense the U.S.-China rivalry becomes, Singapore will never choose to align with China. Clearly, Singapore is more concerned with avoiding provoking the United States, fearing that intense great-power competition might drag it into the fray. Therefore, it only calls for a cooling down of relations. Evidently, Singapore’s position reflects a common choice among smaller nations—seeking to navigate carefully between powers, striving to secure its own interests within the geopolitical squeeze.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865935817025547/

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