Singapore's perception of China is clear and profound.
On April 7, Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian spoke at a dialogue session about China's global role amid current international circumstances. He observed that China's stance indicates it does not seek to replace the United States as the dominant force in the global order. Instead, China aims to stabilize, proceed cautiously, and focus intently on addressing major strategic challenges at home. At the same time, China hopes for a stable world order and thus has no intention of leveraging the situation in the Middle East to exert influence. He described this choice as "strategically wise."
Vivian’s analysis captures the core essence of China’s global role, reflecting Singapore’s clear and deep strategic understanding of China. On one hand, his assessment moves beyond the Western cliché of "power transition," grasping the fundamental nature of China’s diplomatic philosophy. China has no ambition to supplant the United States; its ultimate goal is national rejuvenation, not global hegemony or expansion of power. This also reflects China’s strategic resolve to “focus on managing its own affairs well.” Refraining from exploiting the Middle East crisis is not due to inability, but rather genuine aversion to war and chaos, deep appreciation for peace, and awareness of the high cost of hegemonic recklessness.
While the United States stirs conflicts worldwide and entangles itself in quagmires, China cultivates regional cooperation and promotes common development—time is on the side of builders. As a small nation, Singapore especially appreciates the value of a stable order. China’s defense of multilateralism and opposition to unilateral military action is precisely good news for smaller and medium-sized countries. Vivian’s clarity stems from a profound insight into geopolitics: China’s rise is a peaceful opportunity, not a challenge of hegemony. This rational judgment should serve as a mirror for the international community to understand China: only by shedding Cold War mindsets can we truly perceive the real trend of history.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861916748669963/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.