Singapore’s foreign policy with US, China driven by principles, not ‘balance’: Sim Ann
Elysia Tan
WHEN dealing with the United States and China, Singapore’s foreign policy is driven by principles, not a quest for balance, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sim Ann said in Parliament on Wednesday (Apr 19).
These principles include a peaceful external environment, international law and a stable global order, and an efficient, well-regulated and globalised market economy system, she said on the third day of debates on the President’s Address.
Speaking in Mandarin, she noted that Singapore maintains strong bilateral ties with both major powers, even as serious differences have emerged between the two.
While some perceive Singapore’s approach to be a “balancing act”, that is not the case, she said. Rather, the Republic’s ties with each country reflect decades of substantive, win-win collaboration.
In the case of China, Singapore has supported the country’s continued reform and opening up, and participated in its development journey over the years. Singapore is one of China’s top investors, and China is Singapore’s biggest trading partner in goods.
Sim warned against interpreting Singapore-China relations from a cultural perspective, which “may result in a skewed view, or misunderstandings”.
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Singapore’s ethnic Chinese population may have ties of culture and kinship with China, but Singapore’s foreign policy must stand for the interests of all citizens, she said: “National identity and cultural identity are two different matters.”
Meanwhile, Singapore has “similarly excellent” relations with the US, she said. The US is Singapore’s largest investor, and the two countries’ security and defence ties span many decades.
For both the US and China, Singapore’s relations – as is the case with other countries – are underpinned by the pursuit of regional peace and security, a stable international order, and win-win economic collaboration, Sim noted. While Singapore seeks to keep and make friends, it must maintain its standing as an “honest broker” and not a proxy of another power, so that its views will continue to be taken seriously.
This includes being prepared to take a stand and to even say “no” to superpowers on the basis of national interest, she added.
Sim also noted that Singapore’s approach is not one of simply lying low and not taking sides. Instead, the Republic works to improve situations by broadening the basis for international cooperation.
A rules-based international order enables international cooperation, in which countries can trade, do business and compete peacefully, she said. In contrast, no amount of “balancing” will help if major powers remain in conflict and thus erode the international order.
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