Temper Hopes for Peace, but Singapore is prepared for a more dangerous world: Sim ann

Singapore – The local Chinese community has had a fairly positive evaluation of Donald Trump’s re-election as president of the United States, given beliefs that it is pro-negocio and will be a change companion.

The community also hopes that the war in Ukraine will end soon, which will stabilize energy and food prices, and that it doesn’t matter what the world needs a place like Singapore.

Sharing these observations in the Chamber on March 3, the senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sim Ann, sought to provide a dose of realism from the government’s perspective.

In a Mandarin speech, Mrs. Sim said that Singapureans have noticed that Trump had extended the use of rates as a policy tool, and that the United States had changed to be the main defender of the freest trade to a country that uses rates and non -tariff barriers to pursue economic and non -economic objectives.

“Even then, because Singapore was not a direct objective of these rates, my friends in the Chinese community expressed the hope that Singapore would not be too affected by the global situation, including possible commercial wars,” he said.

These feelings, obtained from community meetings during the recent Lunar New Year period, are probably because many active members of the Chinese community are entrepreneurs, he said.

However, drastic changes have occurred on the world stage since these conversations took place, Sra. Sim said.

She noticed that the United States joined Russia in Vote against a recent resolution of the United Nation which identified Russia as the aggressor in the war in Ukraine, while the February 28 meeting at the Oval Office Between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mr. Trump He drastically stressed a fundamental change in American politics that threw doubts about American commitment to his NATO allies.

These recent events have meant important changes in geopolitics, with possibly ingredible differences that arise between the United States and Europe, not only on how to end the Ukraine War, but even in the global security architecture, he said.

Mrs. Sim said that Singapore has been able to prosper, despite being a small country without natural resources or an interior, due to a stable international commercial system based on rules and its open economic policy.

But recently they announced US tariffs about Canada, Mexico and China have led to the signaling of retaliation tariffs, increasing the risk of a global commercial war. Although Singapore has not been directed directly for now, it will undoubtedly be affected given its economic model and its great dependence on the transford, he said.

The consensus and trust that support the international trade system based on rules is being frayed, and a clear instance is how technology has become a focal point for the strategic response between the great powers, he said.

Meanwhile, the idea that military aggression can force a country to commit to its sovereignty and political independence establishes a dangerous precedent worldwide, especially for smaller countries, added Mrs. SIM.

“Even those who felt relatively imperturbios two weeks ago can start feeling a bit uncomfortable now,” he said. “So are the three hopes that we mentioned previously realistic?”

However, the global situation has also validated Singapore preparations over the years, he said.

Although the Republic has always been a burning defender of international law, he has also believed in self-sufficiency and has never been based on the fact that others are responsible for their safety, Mrs. Sim said, citing 3-6 percent consistent of GDP in defense spending from independence.

He pointed out that opposition parliamentarians had implied that the government Revised fiscal surplus of $ 6.4 billion It was due to excessive taxes.

“In today’s current circumstances, many countries run the risk of not having enough resources to ensure. What other country would complain about having surpluses? She asked.

Mrs. Sim said that Singapore has become a reliable partner and a regional center by virtue of her good business environment and her state of solid law. Even in the face of uncertainty and a fragmented world order, he is not helpless, he emphasized.

Today’s world means that Singapore must take advantage of his good reputation as a consistent partner, and redouble the efforts to shape global rules with his network of friends and countries of related ideas, Sra. Sim said.

“We have always believed in ‘preparing umbrellas before it rains,” he said. “While our development has benefited from a relatively stable and harmonious international environment, we have never had long -term favorable external conditions.”

Singapore has also invested in building its national identity and maintaining national cohesion, although changes in the external environment will present new challenges, such as hostile information campaigns aimed at influencing national opinion.

Although he has established laws and national education to counteract such attempts, he urged the Singapurenses to be attentive to prevent social cohesion from committing.

“We have always been prepared for rainy days, and perhaps even for a very long rainy season,” Mrs. Sim said. “Therefore, we must stay attentive and navigate carefully to take advantage of new opportunities and circumstances that change rapidly, while mitigating risks.”

• Chin Soo Fang is a senior correspondent in the times of Straits that cover issues such as community, politics, social problems, consumer, culture and heritage.

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