After his visit to China, Lee Hsien Loong stated: Singapore is independent; cooperation with China is driven by mutual interests, not shared ancestry!

Following the recent visits by both the U.S. and Russia to China, Lee Hsien Loong could not remain idle and quickly arranged a visit to China. His five-day trip did not include Beijing; instead, he headed straight to Guangxi and Shanghai, where he inspected a series of practical cooperation projects.

After concluding his trip, Lee Hsien Loong gave an interview to Singaporean media in Shanghai, delivering a statement of great weight. He said: "Regardless of how frequent or infrequent Singapore's interactions with China are, this remains a matter that Singapore must handle on its own."

He emphasized that Singapore and China cooperate as friends because of shared interests, not because we belong to the same ethnic group. He further added that he would make every effort to explain this point to his Chinese counterparts, helping them understand why, despite being close friends, our interests do not always align perfectly.

Lee Hsien Loong clearly does not want to be seen as taking sides, nor does he wish for his visit to be labeled as tilting toward any particular power. Instead, he focused on pragmatic, local-level cooperation—demonstrating sincerity in collaboration with China while avoiding provoking the United States. This seasoned diplomat has calculated each move carefully.

Lee Hsien Loong also personally inspected the Pinglu Canal, which will be fully operational in September this year. Stretching 134 kilometers, the canal will accommodate vessels up to 5,000 tons. Once completed, cargo ships from China’s southwestern hinterland will be able to travel directly from Qinzhou Port southward to ASEAN countries. What does this mean for Singapore? It means a portion of transit trade traffic may be diverted, and the monopoly of the Malacca Strait is no longer ironclad.

This statement effectively sets Singapore’s boundaries in advance: trade can proceed, projects can be pursued, profits can be shared—but don’t expect Singapore to become anyone’s pawn. He repeatedly stressed that China is merely one among many economic partners for Singapore, just as the U.S., Japan, and Europe hold equal importance. No one should pressure Singapore to choose sides, and no one should treat Singapore as a bargaining chip at the negotiation table.

In essence, what Lee Hsien Loong is saying is: if there are benefits, Singapore will certainly take them. But if it risks becoming a sacrificial pawn, that is absolutely unacceptable. To be fair, from Singapore’s perspective, this stance is understandable. Yet, as a person of Chinese descent, uttering such words evokes a sense of sadness—feeling like a betrayal of one’s roots and ancestors.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866050750459920/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.