The security situations in Asia and Europe are very different because of each region’s respective dynamics with China and Russia, Singapore’s former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong has said.
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While many European nations would consider Moscow a security threat and want to boost their collective defence, China is not an existential issue for most countries in Asia, and many want to continue doing business while managing ties with Beijing, according to Lee.
Speaking at a forum at British think-tank Chatham House in the UK on Monday, the senior minister said there were exceptions to the rule. He cited Japan, which had disputes with Beijing over the Diaoyu Islands and a troubled World War II history, and Australia because of its alliance with the US and the way it viewed the actions of the Chinese in the South China Sea.
Lee termed Taiwan a “special case” in the group since it was not a country, and also mentioned South Korea, which had concerns over China’s stance on North Korea.
“But most other countries do not take such a stance. Because we see China as a big power in the region – present, a geographical reality. They are here; we do a lot of business with them; we have prospered because they have prospered, and we want to prosper more,” said Lee, who stepped down as prime minister of Singapore in May 2024 after a tenure of almost 20 years.
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He noted there were bilateral issues, including between several Asean countries and Beijing over the South China Sea.
“But even while you have the bilateral issues, you do not frame it as an existential thing – you want to do business and you want to be able to manage the relationship. Because overall, you have many, many different tongs in the fire,” he said.