PRC vs SIN
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Are we heading straight into a potential conflict with PRC??
with the rise of PRC... PRC has began to exert its influence in SEA, which i believe they regard as their backyard...
recently... singapore's position has become more and more pronounced in the eyes of PRC... mainly because of the following...
Singapore FTA with australia, USA, EU and potentially with japan...
singapore's encouragement of US presence in SEA.
singapore's encouragement of Indian participation in SEA affairs.
Singapore's defence agreedment with USA.
singapore's close defence relationship with many regional and global power..
It appears to me... that singapore's idea of bringing in Japan, USA, India, Australia and the EU into ASEAN affairs.. is being viewed with hostility by PRC as an attempt by a red dot trying to contained the rising power, authority and unchallenged supremacy in its backyard...
so much so... that PRC has begun to show extreme disrespect to all the ASEAN nations and has even begun to intimidate regional nations... for example the spratelys, PRC wanna go one on one with opposing claimant... apparently hopeing to divide ASEAN and bend each one by one....
PRC's recent handling of SARS showed its true color, a shadow of imperialistic china hagemonic domination...
when Malaysia decided to bar PRC from entering malaysia... the PRC reacted angrily at malaysia and bar all visits to malaysia... threatening economic and political reprisals.. forcing malaysia to rescind its initial orders hastily...
When singapore PM didnt visit PRC as planned because of the SARS outbreak... they showed their displeasure swiftly with calls for the support of malaysia in a singapore malaysia conflict... threatening singapore security and economically....
when their PM WJB visit thailand... he did a very very destardly move... a move that i would have thought to be the action of little schemming man...
he took out 1.1 million dollars and ask the rest of ASEAN to contribute to a SARS funds!!!
1.1 million dollars.!!! wat can this small amount of money do?? well.... it certainly for sure wont help the SARS situation at all... when considering the economic damages done to SEA due to PRC's incompetence... running into the billions... and not to mention.. hundreds of death and thoudsands hospitalised....
surely WJB is no idiot and dont tell me he cant count... so why such a miserable sum?? well... as a chinese i knew the ideal behind it too damn well... its known as "zhi lu wei ma"
"zhi lu wei ma" is a historical event that happened in ancient china... it relates an evil PM of china ... who in full view of the emperor and all the high ranking officials pointed at a deer (lu) and called it a horse (ma)!!
the emperor laughed his head off... and say the PM must be blind... BUT... every minister in the hall... agreed with the PM that the deer is indeed a horse.. out of fear of the PM's power.. officials who spoke the truth ... lose their head before the next sunrise!!
i WJB is doing a similar move... by contributing a miserable sum... wat WJB wanna see.. is which nation would fear PRC and kiss his ass whenever he want...
on that fateful day... 2 nation quickly bowed and kissed his ass by contributing some money... one is cambodia... the other is the host nation.. thailand... no doubt an open slap to the people of thailand.
singapore didnt contribute... and once again we are in PRC's sniper scope...
but singapore is no fool...we knew his intent but we are not the little man..., with graciousness we send 2 infra scanner to china as a sign of goodwill.. and seeks greater cooperation in the fight against sars on a equal standing with PRC...nation to nation...
we even offered to provide them with technology and skills and equipment to help them fight the SARS...
as the chinese would say.... Singapore is truely a great little nation that does not cower before a dragon's fury and have a heart big enough to carry a ship...
WJB can have 2 reactions: admiration or animosity... it all depends on how wise he is... the wrong move.. would only benefit USA...
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Hi “tripwire”
This is quite a nice "trip write-up" that you have made, although it is difficult to imagine the topic title becoming a reality in the military combat sense, as it is obviously a no contest to begin with, or in any PRC vs Singapore duel of any kind.
It will be more appropriate if this topic was made in reference to the economics sphere of rivalry, which is an existing reality and which Singapore is in a situation that does not even come close to David vs Goliath, nor do we come close to being even an "irritating tick on the back of an elephant".
Singapore’s foreign policy of involving the US and India - in the affairs of South-east Asia - is not a recent event, and has been announced publicly since the early 1970’s when the British declared their intention to pull out of their “Empire - East of Suez”.
This policy is made in part to counter balance any aggression from the PRC, although that was neutralized somewhat when PRC recognized the benefits of joining the Global Community for all the economic and political benefits and security.
The other reason was to counter balance any exertion of regional muscle from our two immediate large neighbors in this region, who can be a serious political threat if ever some “lunatic fundamentalist religious fanatic” were to assume political power in either one or both of the countries at the same time.
With a combined population of over 140 million people, the two closest neighbors can squeeze this “little red dot” economically, if not militarily.
With everyone’s navy vessels sailing to and fro, the length of the Malacca Straits and through the South China Sea, Singapore’s access to this important and strategic life line will be perpetually assured – with or without any one or the other regional and world military powers, the remaining who are willing can ensure the outcome will remain in everyone’s favor.
About the SARS donation of US$1.1million by the Premier of PRC, did he make that out of atonement, for the embarrassing self-deceit of the PRC Health Minister for not reporting honestly and give earlier public warning of the SARS outbreak within the PRC?
If seen in the same light, would it not be ridiculous of our own Government to offer to match dollar-for-dollar for any cash contribution put up by Singaporeans for the SARS fund – especially during this hard economic times, and more pertinently so when after the increases were made to the GST, transport fares, utilities in 2002 – despite the strongly expressed fears and concerns that our economy have not fully recovered from the 1997 Financial Crisis, made worse by the 9-11 and Bali terrorists incidences, and yet these policies were implemented?
The SARS fund stands at almost $8million up to this day.
How and who will manage the funds, and who will finally actually benefit, and in what amount is not clear?
Will the publicly shamed family of 8 also stand to benefit from this fund, after their shameful behavior – as they are victims too?
Some ideas from the following article may help us all.
http://anakin-www-hp.cc.colorado.edu/dept/PS/Finley/PS425/reading/Huntington1.html -
PRC & s'pore heading into clash??? i'm puzzled by this claim. i dont think s'pore is even in the PRC's radar screen that much. & why would china be discomforted by s'pore's various FTA's with the aussies, US, japan & etc...?? last time i checked the trade figures the chinese trade volumes with these nations dwarf anything s'pore has with them & they DON'T even have anything like a FTA with anyone.....yet.
& how can the SARS outbreak be anything hegamonic from china? yes they have made a terrible mistake by trying to hush it up in the beginning but this is due to the fact that their communist govt has a tendency to control the so called 'bad news' from the public be it a natural disaster or man made. their system needs reform for increasing transparency & accountability. it is a weakness that they need to address. but in no way did they INTENTIONALLY manufactured a virus spread it to ASEAN to cause havoc. WJB is a very humble & well mannered man & in no public appearence have i seen him insult a foriegn head of state. so i'm not sure why you felt that he dissed goh chok tong. china's setting up a small fund for SARS research was because it wanted to help combat this problem, if s'pore dont want to pitch in, that is fine but there is no need to doubt their initiative.
as for s'pore's numerous military alliances & close relations with other militaries, i dont recall the chinese ever commenting on this subject. your neigbours north & south have but not china. -
I think the USA and PRC are heading to a clash. The USA is now drawing a line in the sand, who is with us and who is against us.
Singapore will stand on USA side. China, will assume that Singapore, with a majority Chinese population should side with China.
So there is great potential for conflict, especially since Singapore is now USA biggest base in SEA.
If hypotetically, China invades Taiwan, USA will need its bases in Japan (Okinawa), South Korea and Singapore to hold back China (if USA decides to defend Taiwan)
So Singapore is a lynchpin in a China Containment strategy. Everyone knows this. And if Taiwan peacefully reunites with China, thus giving a clear path for China into the Pacific Ocean, Singapore will definately be the gateway into the indian Ocean (but CHina is building port in Myanmar to counter that) so Singapore is also very important.
So bottom line, the USA will do things that is in its own interest. And protecting Singapore is definately in its interest. -
very good point kenhor....
very stupid point goes to atobe... (maybe a tat too naive)
as for moon, he live in an ivory tower... -
Well actually i think once again Singapore is showing how it balances power in the reigon.We cannot ignore China as a growing threat yet China is a valuble trading partner and indeed a good "friend".Thus what we do is bring in other powers into the reigon like USA and India.Also if you notice we are trying to forge better ties with China by letting their naval Ships dock in Changi.This gives them more legs if they want to patorl the Spartlys and even project alittle bit of power.
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We are a tool to be used on a conflict between bigger nations. Thats not a good long term goal. I don't like befriending someone 10000km away while possibly provoking some one 2000km away. Long term, we have to live with our neighbours. Alliances can change, geography can not.