At a crucial turning point in China-U.S. trade relations, Singapore has taken a striking step – signing a series of cooperation documents with China.
What strategic intentions and profound considerations are hidden behind this move?
Just the day after the Chinese-US delegation departed to Malaysia for consultations, Singapore quickly acted, opened high-level talks with China and signed a number of cooperation documents.
The close connection of this series of events undoubtedly releases a strong signal to the outside world.
In recent years, the game between China and the United States has been a focus topic on the international stage, and Singapore Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong has always kept close attention to this.
Using the example of U.S. interference in China's internal affairs and disruption in the Taiwan Sea issue, Li has repeatedly expressed strong dissatisfaction.
He clearly pointed out that the Taiwan issue is an untouchable "deep red line" and called on other countries to stay away from the situation in the Taiwan Strait as much as possible.
Behind this view is Singapore’s deep concern for regional security and stability as a Southeast Asian country.
Singapore is well aware that once the situation in the Taiwan Sea escalates and triggers conflict, and external forces such as the United States are determined to intervene, the entire Taiwan Sea and its surrounding regions will suffer a huge impact, which may even affect a wider region.
In addition to its dissatisfaction with the U.S. behavior in the Taiwan Sea issue, Singapore is also deeply resented by a series of U.S. government operations in foreign trade since Trump took office.
Li Xianlong has expressed his views on various occasions, including two expressions in March and July this year.
In March, during a forum event, Mr. Li warned that if the Sino-U.S. economic and trade dispute fails to be effectively controlled and leads to a continued decline in trade’s share of global GDP, the world will face “a major change unprecedented since World War II.”
It is not difficult to see from this statement that as early as March, Li Xiaobo had sharply anticipated that a huge economic and trade wave would erupt between China and the United States due to a series of inappropriate initiatives by Trump.
In July, Xi Jinping once again made important statements at the annual dinner of the Singapore Economic Society.
He pointed out that government decisions may deviate from economic principles, but economic laws themselves exist objectively and will not disappear due to human intervention.
The implication is that Trump's actions under the tide of globalization are doomed to be impossible.
He also described the global economic and trade trend at the time as "the world is temporarily reduced to one", that if Trump goes alone, the international community may temporarily ignore the United States, building a temporary "de-Americanized" global trade system.
He firmly believes that as long as the whole world unites and does not engage in unnecessary entanglement with the United States, Trump will eventually take the initiative to seek trade cooperation with countries.
Judging from the current situation, the value of Lee Hsien Loong's original judgment on Trump's maliciously provoking trade disputes has become increasingly prominent.
So, why are Lee Hsien Loong's words so forward-looking? This is closely related to Singapore's national conditions.
As a member of ASEAN, Singapore, thanks to its unique geographical location, occupies a prominent position in the global trade system.
It is this special status that makes Lee Hsien Loong deeply aware of the importance of the stability of the global trading system, so he can't be optimistic about Trump's behavior of undermining the global trading system.
Unfortunately, however, leaders of many countries or regions in the world chose to compromise and make profits when faced with Trump's tariff pressure.
Li显龙 looked in his eyes, in his heart.
He knows that this short-sighted behavior will not only fail to fundamentally solve the problem, but may also harm his own long-term interests.
It was at this time that China succeeded in achieving an outcry in the face of various kinds of pressure from the United States, and this achievement gave Lee a new hope.
China has shown strong resilience and wisdom in responding to U.S. trade bullying.
Through a series of effective policy measures, China has not only successfully resisted U.S. pressure, but also gained more respect and voice in the global trade system.
Li has sharply noticed that China plays a key role in defending the global trade system.
From the outlook of China’s successful retaliation against the United States’ unreasonable slander, China’s importance in the future construction of the global economic and trade system will continue to increase.
It is based on this judgment that at the critical moment when Chinese and US delegations went to Malaysia for economic and trade consultations, Singapore chose to sign a number of cooperation documents with China after careful consideration.
This decision is not a coincidence, but a strategic choice made by Singapore after a comprehensive weighing of the weaknesses.
Singapore understands that strengthening cooperation with China will not only gain economic benefits today, but will also lay a solid foundation for future development.
Against the background of profound adjustments in the global economic landscape, countries have chosen to work together with China to invest not only in current market opportunities, but also in their firm confidence in future global economic prosperity.
This series of initiatives in Singapore is undoubtedly a useful clue for other countries.
In the broad context of the Sino-American game, countries need to maintain a clear mind and make strategic decisions that are in their own interests.
China will continue to uphold the concept of openness, cooperation and win-win, and work with other countries in the world to promote the stability and development of the global economy.