MM Lee’s ill-timed advice only spreads mistrust
OPINION
Lee Kuan Yew, the Minister Mentor of Singapore, met with US President Barack Obama during his visit to the US.
Lee stated that the US should stay engaged not just in China but in the whole of East Asia and India, adding that the US would risk losing global leadership if it did not remain engaged in Asia to “balance” China’s military and economic might.
As the founding father of Singapore, Lee has been regarded as a friend of the Chinese people not only because he is a fourth-generation Chinese Singaporean, but also because Singapore has played an important role in Asian affairs in the last few decades. As a result, Lee’s comment came as a surprise to a lot of Chinese people.
Lee’s negative comments toward China may have a misleading effect and will inevitably harm Sino-Singaporean relations.
In times lacking mutual trust, an influential politician like Lee should be focusing on building mutual trust instead of spreading mistrust.
Lee’s negative comments toward China may have a misleading effect and will inevitably harm Sino-Singaporean relations.
In times lacking mutual trust, an influential politician like Lee should be focusing on building mutual trust instead of spreading mistrust. China has gained influence and respect by developing its own strength over the last few decades, both militarily and economically.
It’s understandable that this might sometimes lead to concerns among its neighbors, who were used to a relatively insular and weak China. Many countries also remember Chinese dominance of the region in the past.
However, China’s growing power shouldn’t be a source of concern to other Asian nations. Unlike rising powers in the past, China is focused on integrating itself into a stable regional and world system, not disrupting it.
China’s large borders and security concerns mean that it needs commensurate military power, but its defense ambitions have always been focused on self-protection, not threatening others.
Concerns over “balance” are misplaced, and serve only to foster unnecessary paranoia.
Source: Global Times, 4 November 2009
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Old Guy on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 11:54 am
because LKY likes USA !!
and also likes to china !!
lovetorn
yee loong on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 12:44 pm
until the day China renounce completely the use of force in Taiwan you can never take your guard off. there is a reason lhl coud not even visit taiwan without chinese protest
CPT on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 12:44 pm
Mm lky team will benefit as middleman. they love usa and china.
Ben on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 1:32 pm
I have to agree with LKY on this actually. China cannot be a force of peace or the respect of human rights simply because it says so. We have to be wary of it. Also, we must take into context LKY’s comments. For very long he’s been trying to cozy up to China in the hope that his single-party rule can be somehow justified, and by doing so he has created mistrust amongst our ASEAN neighbours instead, who happen to be democracies. How can we, a democracy, expect to hold such close ties to a communist government that shows no mercy to its own people? And let us be reminded that the PAP holds regular exchange programmes with the CCP, no doubt trying to emulate their iron-fisted grip on power at all costs. At most, LKY is just doing this to impress the Americans, but being the veteran diplomats they are, they’d likely take it with a pinch of salt rather than be fooled into thinking LKY an erstwhile US ally. We must recognise that we cannot blindly disagree with LKY at all junctures, and that, in the interests of democracy and human rights (of which LKY only superficially accepts), we might sometimes have to turn the same corner. Furthermore, America has always been a reliable force for the promotion of democracy. It was they who stood up to the authoritarian regimes of the Warsaw Pact and furthered the cause of democracy in the region, and it is they who regular reports on the political repression in Singapore. You do also remember how the Law Minister despicably lambasted the Americans for taking an interests in the universal human rights of all people, including Singaporeans, yes? Trust me, we should agree with LKY, but let me caution to add that it does not follow that we should rely upon their leadership. What he could be saying here could all tosh in a vain effort to please America, and he really does not care for the cause of human rights at all.
Darkness on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 1:43 pm
Life is very simple. China is bankrolling the US economy. Without China there will never be a US recovery.
Tell me if you have one customer keeps who regularly buys up most of your produce and is the main reason why you are in business; would you listen to someone with $1 in his pocket when he says, hey, you should not rely on him, didnt you know its dangerous to keep all your eggs in one basket?
What if the store keeper ask, thats a good idea, why dont you take up the slack and buy something from me?
Moral of the story: if you dont have enough chips to play that game; sit down bfr you fall down.
Matt on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 2:15 pm
Hasn’t anyone heard of the concept of Balance of Power?
Back in the day, it was US vs USSR
Kian on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 2:17 pm
It seems that as long as whatever he/PAP does will never be correct in the tinted lenses of TR….
Amonymous on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 2:56 pm
The MAD doctrine ( mutual assured destruction ) of the Cold War era is long dead and gone. It is hard to persuade medievel minds the world HAS CHANGED.
frost on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 3:05 pm
The USA isn’t naive. No country would allow another (China) to hold such a significant amount of debt. It would be economic suicide.
The arrangement would be for China to hold US debt while The US provides China with political and economic concessions. China knows its on the losing end because it holds fiat money, while the US milks its population (labour) while fattening western corporate heads who in turn ensure the dominance of the ruling elite in the US and europe.
Therefore it (China) is trying very hard to gain political clout and securing hard assets like gold and oil…which by the way are denominated in the US dollar.
You think its coincidence that China is a sweatshop to the US and for the rest of the world. Who do you think decides which Asian country gets a say in anything in the world scene? Who do you think decides who gets a seat in councils and committees in organisations like the UN, IMF, world bank, etc. Go check it out. A cursory observation would show you who actually rules the world.
The US and especially Europe have bee at this game far longer than any one can remember…just ask Japan.
Frost.
btan on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 4:01 pm
@Kian on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 2:17 pm
[[It seems that as long as whatever he/PAP does will never be correct in the tinted lenses of TR….]]
As opposed to whatever PAP does will ALWAYS be correct in the tinted lenses of the MSM?
Why do you think TR is popular? Becos if we want moutpieces of PAP, we would have ready ST, Today etc…
teo cheng tee on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 4:01 pm
Why are TR So anti-PAP & anti-MMLee. Any hidden agenda. Or, are you the mouthpiece of Dr Mahathir
hidden orchid on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 4:34 pm
It’s not that MM Lee is spreading mistrust, it’s a display of an old stateman’s skill of Sun Tzu principles to another highly intelligent politician – lawyer. China will never override the US in Asia or other parts world for that matter. Don’t tell me Singaporeans don’t like China even if you openly adore US presence? Now, that’s spreading mistrust.
Darkness on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 4:45 pm
Come on Matt, balance of power is not a fait accompli; its a very serious game in the context of geo-politics where you first need to have military, economic, technological and cultural firepower bfr you can play it.
John Nash proved this conclusively; if you have a man with a pen knife going up against someone with a semi auto – no amount of rhetoric is going to change the outcome and its pointless to moot the issue of balance of power. It will be a crying game.
No one is saying LKY is an idiot; but you cannot stop ordinary Chinese and Americans and many others from regarding what he said to be idiotic.
Darkness 2009
Time for Change on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 6:03 pm
It was a big mistake. He should not have said it. They seem to be lost. They seem to be clueless. They seek bewildered.
I remember when the son took over from GCT and immediately went to Taiwan. The Chinese were very angry. They were shouting all sorts of threats. Both father and son seemed lost. Both seem clueless. Both seem bewildered.
We really need someone who knows what he is doing to lead Singapore or we will cease to exist.
Time for Change on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 7:57 pm
It was a big mistake. He should not have said it. They seem to be lost. They seem to be clueless. They seek bewildered.
I remember when the son took over from GCT and immediately went to Taiwan. The Chinese were very angry. They were shouting all sorts of threats. Both father and son seemed lost. Both seem clueless. Both seem bewildered.
We really need someone who knows what he is doing to lead Singapore or we will cease to exist.
Oops…forgot to say great post! Looking forward to your next one.
Loyola on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 11:14 pm
The Chinese had no right to be bewildered when LHL visited Taiwan. They have to learn that we have our own national intersts too.
This isn’t the 15th century. Asia doesn’t pay suzerainty to Beijing anymore.
citizenofSG on Fri, 6th Nov 2009 2:28 am
Singapore being a very small country needs some big brother to protect us whether you like it or not.
Should US get out of Asia, in time of trouble then who is going to protect Singapore?
Maintaining a large army overseas is not a small sum, why shouldn’t America save all that money.
Of course they are here to protect their interest but meantime they are also hereby for us to call for help in case we are in trouble.
If the American withdraws from Asia completely what will happen to Asia is only for you to imagine. Their present in Asia indirectly gives us some security. If China is not happy, they have the right to be so. Should we care? No, just don’t care.
sturmtruppen on Fri, 6th Nov 2009 1:38 pm
Excuse me…are Singapore part of ANZAC and Asean…Singapore too has signed mutual defense agreements with Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand etc…
Who and what is China to us…this is Singapore and Singapore is ours…whether we are small or not…weak or strong…we should always stand and deliver and fight it out with what we have…even before taking a position, some of us have the mentality of giving in already…. for these who are of defeatist mentality they can always give up their citizenship and join those “big” powers they are so afraid or are in awe of or leave for other “stronger” countries…
Remember your loved ones are always here in singapore…not over there in china or india or whatever and we are not slaves or idiots where we have to give in. Please have self respect and pride.
Dun be like some spineless politicians always running and holding on the smelly and dirty feet of the so called “strong” to protect their positions. Politicians who sell our their country are traitors…full stop.
Political SalesMaN on Fri, 6th Nov 2009 1:57 pm
From few comment show their support to defence LKY. Singapore is such dot country if I going to overtake it. it very sample.
I just push my people in to get a citizeship.Control your economy, Times come just over turn it.China if they want to conquer this land they have no problem.Look at the China-Vietnam war. China don’t want their land.China has plenty of land & resources.Philipine past decade they has chase the American out fron the Subic Bay. Singapore should know how to protect himself, What is a use to build our own army & buy so many sophicated weapon.As an old word say A Man Who Seek Peace He Must Prepare For The Desire of War” So”This is what the PAP is doing open your door to alien.Open your backside to get fuck by foreigner.
Neil Bishop on Fri, 6th Nov 2009 6:15 pm
Generally speaking, I think Great Leader is well and truly past his prime and Singapore would be better served by his immediate retirement to a monastery where he takes a vow of silence to be accompanied by a full and proper audit of Temasek, GIC and HDB et al under the direction of the President (provided someone can loan the His Excellency The House Boy a spine and a copy of the constitution).
That said, Great Leader was right and China’s comments are easily ignored.
Actually, it is in Singapore’s interests for China to be p-ssed off. That way, the Lee Family won’t get approval from Beijing for any more investments by Temasek and GIC and that can only save Singaporean taxpayers A LOT of money.
jason on Fri, 6th Nov 2009 9:32 pm
for god sake, why can’t he just mind Singapore business? why does he have to seek attention by acting like a bridge between USA and China? What sort of credential does he have apart from the no.1 man in this island? Just because he’s cambridge educated chinese politician, that does not mean he can just walk around talk big and shoot up negative comments on other countries. Just look at how many countries he has been criticizing so far. As far as I can remember, the list will include: USA, China, Russia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philipines, Vietnam. The list goes on and on. Just SHUT UP, Kuan Yew!! Singapore will gain NOTHING from your “wise” comments
piggadave on Wed, 11th Nov 2009 5:28 pm
There is nothing wrong with what the MM has said. US may not be perfect but has so far been the most benign of all great powers so let’s stick to the formulas that work. However, China ascendency is unstoppable and barring nothing derails her from their current economic reforms and growth, the US will find it hard to counter china circa say 2030 or 2040. Once the Chinese succeed in mobilising their millions and move up the tech ladder, she would be equivalent to europe and us combined… we in asean have really not much say whatsoever as some delusional folks would wish to belive.