S’pore is friends with China, Japan; good relations not a zero-sum affair, says PM Wong

Singapore intends to maintain strong relationships with both China and Japan, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong affirmed Monday, emphasizing that fostering ties with one country should not come at the expense of another.

Singapore’s Balancing Act in Asia

Wong stated that Singapore does not view its diplomatic relations as a zero-sum game, responding to questions regarding tensions between the two Asian powers and potential Chinese reactions to his recent visit to Japan.

He reiterated that Singapore’s long-standing policy, established by founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, is to cultivate as many strong and reliable friendships as possible. Lee, at the S. Rajaratnam Lecture in 2009, argued that a small nation should maximize its number of friends while preserving its sovereignty and independence.

“We can be friends with both China and Japan, and America, for that matter. We want to maintain as many good friends as possible,” Wong said, adding that this approach maximizes strategic space for Singapore.

Wong acknowledged that navigating this balance is becoming more complex due to increased great power rivalry and heightened scrutiny of Singapore’s actions. He noted that any visit to one country may draw attention from others, citing potential reactions from China following his trip to Japan and anticipated scrutiny from both countries when he visits the United States.

Wong recently concluded an official visit to Japan from March 17 to 19, where he and his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi announced an elevation of ties to a strategic partnership, focusing on areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and low-carbon energy solutions. He is scheduled to attend the Boao Forum for Asia in China’s Hainan province later in March and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen in November.

Singapore has recently upgraded diplomatic ties with several countries, including South Korea in 2025, as well as France, Vietnam, New Zealand, and Australia to varying levels of strategic partnership.

Addressing online reactions to his comments at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in November 2023 regarding the dispute between China and Japan over Taiwan, Wong said his visit to Japan was productive. He had previously expressed Singapore’s interest in stability in East Asia and hoped for de-escalation between the two countries. He also noted Singapore had moved past wartime history with Japan.

“With China, we continue to have very good relations with them, even after the Bloomberg event last year,” Wong said, citing “very good” visits to China by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong in December 2023 and Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam in February.

Wong emphasized Singapore’s focus on finding common ground and mutually beneficial cooperation, even when differences of opinion exist.