SINGAPORE: According to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore’s most significant bilateral ties are with the US, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Although Mr. Lee oversaw some hiccups or issues in some of these relationships, observers and those who worked with him said he consistently pursued win-win cooperation and contributed long-term thinking.
Regarding the “harsher reality” in the handling of international affairs, Mr. Lee has also been forthright. In the 2015 S Rajaratnam Lecture, he declared, “Power determines which countries prevail and which countries set the agenda.”
Mr. Lee stated at the 2016 National Day Rally that Singapore needs a network of friends because it is a small nation.
“Friends in our neighborhood and friends with major powers worldwide, even in remote locations,” he remarked. “Our most significant relationships are with China and the United States, besides those with Malaysia and Indonesia.
According to him, Singapore can further its national interests in several ways. It can maintain its unity, succeed as a country, and be a positive and active player on the international scene. It can also establish a “common cause” with its neighbours.
As Mr. Lee passes the mantle of the premiership to Mr. Lawrence Wong on May 15, CNA examines how, during his 20-year tenure, Singapore strengthened its relationships with both of the world’s largest powers and its closest neighbors.
It was a significant gesture. The last time a Singapore PM was officially welcomed in the White House with ceremonies was more than 30 years ago when Mr Lee Kuan Yew went in 1985,” Mr Lee said at the National Day Rally 2016, soon after the trip.
He said the visit reflects Singapore’s “warm and deep friendship” with America spanning many areas.
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