only chinese and Hua ethnic like you say that.
Forget about him, he doesn't represent Singapore.
Singapore's position has always been to support the international rule of law and not might is right. We stood firm even when China threatened us.
PM Lee Hsien Loong delivered his National Day Rally speech on 21 August 2016
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Three years ago, the Philippines launched a case against China under The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. China refused to participate, but the Tribunal heard the case, and issued its award in July. The award said that China's claim to historic rights within the “nine-dash line” is incompatible with UNCLOS. China rejected the tribunal's jurisdiction and also categorically rejected the award as null and void.
What is Singapore's interest and stand? We do not have any claims of our own in the South China Sea. We are right here, very far away, even Pedra Branca is right here. We have no claims of our own. We do not take sides on other claims. China, Philippines, the other claimants. But in other ways, we do have a lot at stake and three things matter to us, international law, freedom of navigation and a united ASEAN.
Upholding international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes, is a vital interest for a small country like Singapore. When we have disputes with other countries that is how we settle them. With Malaysia, when there was a quarrel over Pedra Branca, we agreed to take it to the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Singapore secured a favourable result, both sides accepted the ruling. We had another dispute with Malaysia over the development charge issue in the Points of Agreement on Railway Land. I agreed with PM Najib to submit it to arbitration. The ruling went against Singapore, but we both accepted it and we moved on. We did not let it affect our relationship with Malaysia or my personal ties with PM Najib. And that is how international disputes should be settled. However, in reality, big powers do not always act like that. Big powers can insist on their own interests and often do. They do not submit to adjudication by international tribunals, they may not comply with their rulings and China is not the only country to do this and nor is this the first time something like this has happened. Nevertheless, Singapore must support and strive for a rules-based international order. We have to depend on words and treaties. They mean everything to us. We cannot afford to have international relations work on the basis that might is right. If rules do not matter, then small countries like Singapore have no chance of survival.
Our second interest in the South China Sea is freedom of navigation. I will explain why. Take a look at the map. Singapore is this little spot down here, a little red dot. We have two vital sea lanes of communication, two arteries. One through the South China Sea, the other, through the Straits of Malacca. Ships come from Europe, the Suez Canal, they come to through the south, Straits of Malacca, pass Singapore, up the South China Sea to Japan, the Far East and vice versa. Both of these are arteries. You block one, you die; likewise with air routes. It is important to us that disputes in the South China Sea do not affect freedom of navigation or overflight by ships or aircraft.
Thirdly, Singapore needs a united and effective ASEAN. With five million people, Singapore’s voice internationally, counts for not much. But collectively, ASEAN with more than 600 million people, it can make itself heard better. This is provided ASEAN is united. On the South China Sea issue, ASEAN finds it very hard to take a common stand because the members have different interests. Some are close to China, like Laos and Cambodia. Others, like Philippines and Thailand, are treaty allies of the United States. Some are claimant states in the South China Sea, others are not. Some do not even have a coastline in the South China Sea, like Myanmar. Myanmar is not in the South China Sea. They are on the Andaman Sea in the Indian Ocean. ASEAN has got different interests and it is very hard to come together. But the trouble is if ASEAN cannot deal with a major issue at its doorstep affecting its members, in the long run, nobody will take ASEAN seriously and that will be very bad for all of the members of ASEAN, and for Singapore, too.
So, on the South China Sea, we have got our own stand, principled, consistent; different from China’s, different from the Philippines or America. Other countries will persuade us to side with them, one side or the other, and we have to choose our own place to stand, what is in our interest, calculate it, choose the spot, stand firm, we cannot succumb to pressure.
I tell you this so that you will understand why we do what we do and why we have to stand up for Singapore's position. Sometimes, if you read the foreign media, including the PRC media, you will find articles criticizing Singapore for not siding more with them and I know some Singaporeans are concerned about these criticisms because they have foreign friends. PRC friends, business partners, academic colleagues, personal contacts. They may tell you any tension between Singapore and China will affect your business, affect your collaboration. I understand these concerns. We would like business and collaboration to continue, too, to flourish between Singapore and China and Singapore and other countries because these are arrangements which benefit both sides. If they are disrupted, both sides lose. But the Government has to take a national point of view, decide what is in Singapore's overall interests. We want good relations with other countries if it is at all possible, but we must also be prepared for ups and downs from time to time.
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https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/national-day-rally-2016
Chinese social media users lash out at Singapore over S China Sea dispute
SINGAPORE — Chinese social media users have ramped up their criticisms against Singapore, amid the belief that the city state has not been particularly sympathethic towards China’s position on overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea.
“Do not for a moment think that Li Jiapo has ever been friendly towards China,” wrote a weibo user — China’s version of Twitter — yesterday.
The term “Li Jiapo” — referring to Singapore’s name in Chinese but substituting the first two Chinese characters for “Li Jia” or the “Lee Family” — has been used in China’s social media to mock the Republic.
“After Lee Hsien Loong came to power, he changed his father’s policy of being friendly towards China. In fact, he has been backstabbing China? Why is this so?”
Another weibo user said Singapore has always indulged in “political speculation”. “The country’s survival has always been based on political speculation (among the major powers),” the user stated.
As news broke on Sunday that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had experienced a brief fainting spell while delivering the National Day Rally, a weibo posting said: “There will be a change of leadership in Li Jiapo soon. Expect a change in their national policies.”
“For the sake of your health, please do not strain yourself over the South China Sea issue,” said another sarcastic social media posting.
China claims a large swath of the South China Sea. Four countries from the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) — Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines — as well as Taiwan also have claims to the strategic waterway, through which US$5 trillion (S$6.8 trillion) in shipborne trade passes every year.
An international tribunal last month invalidated China’s claims in the South China Sea but it has vowed to ignore the ruling.
Singapore is the country coordinator for Asean-China Dialogue Relations and some Chinese media outlets have carried articles criticising Singapore for not siding more with China.
Earlier this month, China’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement asking Singapore to “respect” its position on the South China Sea ruling. “The related ruling is illegal, invalid and has no binding force,” said Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying.
“China hopes that Singapore ... can maintain an objective and fair position as the coordinator of China and Asean dialogue relations, so as to advance Sino-Singapore relations and healthy and stable China-Asean ties.”
Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin last week also reportedly urged Singapore to stay out of the South China Sea dispute.
“As Singapore is not a claimant in the South China Sea, we hope that the Singapore Government, on the condition of not interfering in South China Sea issues, will actively promote cooperation between China and Asean,” Mr Liu said.
During his National Day Rally speech on Sunday, Mr Lee said that Singapore-China ties were much broader than the South China Sea issue.
Noting that some Singaporeans are concerned about how some Chinese media outlets have been critical of Singapore and this may affect business linkages, Mr Lee said: “The Government has to take a national point of view, decide what is in Singapore’s overall interests.”
“We want good relations with other countries if it is at all possible. But we must be prepared for ups and downs from time to time.” He also said that Singapore is good friends with both Washington and Beijing.
Some Chinese social media users were more understanding of Singapore’s national circumstances.
“I wonder what is the mentality behind those who are criticising Lee Hsien Loong. Singapore is a sovereign state and it must, of course, first and foremost consider its own national interests,” noted a weibo user yesterday.
The user added that although there may be many Chinese residing in Singapore, the times and circumstances have changed.
“Do you think this is still the past when everyone was a subject of the Qing Dynasty?... If you are free, please read more books, spend less time on social media and use your brains.” AGENCIES
Read more at
https://www.todayonline.com/chinain...s-lash-out-singapore-over-s-china-sea-dispute
https://www.todayonline.com/chinain...s-lash-out-singapore-over-s-china-sea-dispute
Why we should be proud of the stance our leaders are taking on the South China Sea issue
Recently, it would seem that China isn’t too happy with Singapore. A Chinese diplomat has urged Singapore
not to interfere in the territorial spat. A Chinese defence advisor has even gone so far as to call for sanctions to
make Singapore pay for damaging China’s interests, on top of making remarks like Lee Kuan Yew has lost Beijing’s respect and how we’re playing a dangerous game of playing the big countries against each other.
Some trashy tabloid in China, the Global Times, has been
criticising Singapore too. They wrongly claimed that Singapore had tried to push for a stronger statement on the international tribunal’s ruling on the South China Sea at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit last week in Venezuela. China users of various social media platforms have been
lashing out against Singapore. They say that Singapore is backstabbing China. It would appear that many people in China are asking for their government to “punish” us. The latest is that
Singapore businesses are being questioned by their Chinese counterparts about our stand on the matter.
https://www.unscrambled.sg/2016/10/...ders-are-taking-on-the-south-china-sea-issue/
Singapore, Australia share common interests in South China Sea issue, says PM Lee
SYDNEY - Singapore and Australia share many common interests on the South China Sea issue, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, noting that both countries upheld principles such as the importance of international law and freedom of navigation.
Writing in response to questions from Australian media on the South China Sea issue, Mr Lee pointed to the many similar positions shared by the two non-claimant states.
"Like Australia, Singapore depends on a peaceful and stable region which supports and promotes free trade and open markets. We share similar outlooks on the importance of international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes," he said.
"We both have a vital interest in freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. We should continue to uphold these principles."
https://www.straitstimes.com/politi...nterests-in-south-china-sea-issue-says-pm-lee
, next step will be done soon.
