A reporter interviewed a Singaporean Chinese, asked "who would you support if China and the United States started the war", the Singaporean said without hesitation "I will support the United States", in fact, the reason is simple, Singapore's development is dependent on the United States.
This answer surprised many people. After all, Chinese in Singapore account for 75% of the total population, and the custom of posting Spring Festival couplets during the Spring Festival and wrapping dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival has been handed down from generation to generation.
But after understanding the situation in this country, you can see that there is too much helplessness in this choice.
Singapore's land area is less than 730 square kilometers, which is pitiful and its natural resources are pitiful. Even daily drinking water depends on neighboring countries to supply it. There is a local saying that "Singapore can only be self-sufficient in air".
After Malaysia's independence in 1965, the situation in Singapore was even worse.
The neighboring countries are full of suspicion about this small Chinese-oriented country, and even see it as "China's Trojan horse in Southeast Asia", until after Indonesia re-exchanged with China in 1990, Singapore dared to formally establish relations with China.
At that time, to gain a foothold in Southeast Asia, we had to find a powerful backer, and the United States was just willing to lend a helping hand, and it didn't mind touching sensitive relations in the region.
Economically, Singapore’s vitality has long been linked to the United States.In 2024, it attracted foreign direct investment to the second place in the world, after the United States, where much of the money comes from American companies.
The new free trade agreement signed by the United States in 1983 allowed Singapore's pillar industries such as electronic components and precision machinery to enter the U.S. market smoothly, with the share of exports to the U.S. of these two categories alone exceeding 40%.
In the western Yogyakarta industrial district, the flow line of many factories is entirely dependent on Apple and Intel's orders, and if the U.S. is willing to raise tariffs by 5%, the profits of Singapore-related enterprises will have to decrease by 3-4 percentage points, and the Financial Administration will have to meet at night.
There is no way to bypass the dependence on security. Singapore guards the east exit of the Strait of Malacca, and 60% of the world's crude oil transportation and 30% of container freight have to pass through here. However, its own military strength is weak and cannot keep this lifeline at all.
The U.S. Navy has become a "protective umbrella". U.S. warships dock at Changi Naval Base more than 100 times a year. The annual "Karat" joint military exercise is unshakable, and the details of the strait defense are well polished.
Singapore was still one of the world’s five largest arms importers in 2012, with many advanced weapons technologies coming from the United States, and Chen Cheng, a scientist at the University of South China, said that Singapore can only rely on diplomatic flexibility and asylum from the great powers to seek security.
The United States, as the financial center of Asia, Singapore's dollar settlement and international capital flows all operate in the system dominated by the United States.
The willingness of multinationals to place their regional headquarters in this place is the belief that there is U.S. power and that the business environment can be stable.
Former Foreign Minister Yang Rongwen once bluntly said that Singapore's view of the world is not allowed to be influenced by emotions. After all, survival comes first.
Some have called this option “bloodless,” but Singapore’s logic of survival has always been realistic.
It does not want to be a "satellite state" of any major country. Lee Kuan Yew once compared the country to a "poisonous shrimp" who relies on wisdom to survive among the cracks of major countries.
Now that China is Singapore's largest trading partner, the China-Singapore (Chongqing) strategic interconnection demonstration project is in full swing, military protection and influence in the global financial system cannot yet replace the United States.
This choice has nothing to do with betrayal, but just the survival instinct of small countries in the game of great powers.
The Chinese in Singapore are clear in their hearts that blood-related affinity cannot be eaten, nor can it safeguard national security.
As Kissinger said, Singapore leaders 'analysis of politics is "cold-blooded" enough, but behind this cold-blooded is a clear responsibility for the destiny of the country.
As the international situation changes in the future, Singapore may adjust its position, but the current choice is just the most honest response to reality.
After all, on the international stage, strength is the hardest bottom, and the compromise of small countries has always been to better survive.
In the game of great powers, the loyalty of the small country never gives only its own survival.
This answer surprised many people. After all, Chinese in Singapore account for 75% of the total population, and the custom of posting Spring Festival couplets during the Spring Festival and wrapping dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival has been handed down from generation to generation.
But after understanding the situation in this country, you can see that there is too much helplessness in this choice.
Singapore's land area is less than 730 square kilometers, which is pitiful and its natural resources are pitiful. Even daily drinking water depends on neighboring countries to supply it. There is a local saying that "Singapore can only be self-sufficient in air".
After Malaysia's independence in 1965, the situation in Singapore was even worse.
The neighboring countries are full of suspicion about this small Chinese-oriented country, and even see it as "China's Trojan horse in Southeast Asia", until after Indonesia re-exchanged with China in 1990, Singapore dared to formally establish relations with China.
At that time, to gain a foothold in Southeast Asia, we had to find a powerful backer, and the United States was just willing to lend a helping hand, and it didn't mind touching sensitive relations in the region.
Economically, Singapore’s vitality has long been linked to the United States.In 2024, it attracted foreign direct investment to the second place in the world, after the United States, where much of the money comes from American companies.
The new free trade agreement signed by the United States in 1983 allowed Singapore's pillar industries such as electronic components and precision machinery to enter the U.S. market smoothly, with the share of exports to the U.S. of these two categories alone exceeding 40%.
In the western Yogyakarta industrial district, the flow line of many factories is entirely dependent on Apple and Intel's orders, and if the U.S. is willing to raise tariffs by 5%, the profits of Singapore-related enterprises will have to decrease by 3-4 percentage points, and the Financial Administration will have to meet at night.
There is no way to bypass the dependence on security. Singapore guards the east exit of the Strait of Malacca, and 60% of the world's crude oil transportation and 30% of container freight have to pass through here. However, its own military strength is weak and cannot keep this lifeline at all.
The U.S. Navy has become a "protective umbrella". U.S. warships dock at Changi Naval Base more than 100 times a year. The annual "Karat" joint military exercise is unshakable, and the details of the strait defense are well polished.
Singapore was still one of the world’s five largest arms importers in 2012, with many advanced weapons technologies coming from the United States, and Chen Cheng, a scientist at the University of South China, said that Singapore can only rely on diplomatic flexibility and asylum from the great powers to seek security.
The United States, as the financial center of Asia, Singapore's dollar settlement and international capital flows all operate in the system dominated by the United States.
The willingness of multinationals to place their regional headquarters in this place is the belief that there is U.S. power and that the business environment can be stable.
Former Foreign Minister Yang Rongwen once bluntly said that Singapore's view of the world is not allowed to be influenced by emotions. After all, survival comes first.
Some have called this option “bloodless,” but Singapore’s logic of survival has always been realistic.
It does not want to be a "satellite state" of any major country. Lee Kuan Yew once compared the country to a "poisonous shrimp" who relies on wisdom to survive among the cracks of major countries.
Now that China is Singapore's largest trading partner, the China-Singapore (Chongqing) strategic interconnection demonstration project is in full swing, military protection and influence in the global financial system cannot yet replace the United States.
This choice has nothing to do with betrayal, but just the survival instinct of small countries in the game of great powers.
The Chinese in Singapore are clear in their hearts that blood-related affinity cannot be eaten, nor can it safeguard national security.
As Kissinger said, Singapore leaders 'analysis of politics is "cold-blooded" enough, but behind this cold-blooded is a clear responsibility for the destiny of the country.
As the international situation changes in the future, Singapore may adjust its position, but the current choice is just the most honest response to reality.
After all, on the international stage, strength is the hardest bottom, and the compromise of small countries has always been to better survive.
In the game of great powers, the loyalty of the small country never gives only its own survival.