During the Group of 20 (G-20) forum on 17th July 2022, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about the importance of Singapore having a voice on the international stage. Given the ongoing global issues such as COVID-19, armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine, and insecurities over food and energy, Singapore’s diplomatic efforts with other countries are now more important than ever.
One of the key tensions that Singapore needs to navigate is the growing divide between the US and China. Countries around the world are increasingly under pressure to choose a side. The digital era has also meant that citizens are not spared from being neutral either. Increasing reports of misinformation, influence campaigns, and extremist views have created divisions within countries. For a cosmopolitan country like Singapore, these divisions pose an existential crisis for the city-state, its leaders, and its people.
Singaporeans on global issues
Singaporeans are highly exposed to global trends. In Blackbox’s latest study: ‘Emerging From The Pandemic: The New Mood In Singapore’, the possibility that the Russian-Ukraine War will spread to other countries ranked third in global threats that Singaporeans worry about. Food shortages, intrinsically linked to the war in Eastern Ukraine, came in fifth. Domestically, the worry over being forced to choose between the US or China took fifth place.
Specifically, on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, well over 60% of Singaporeans support the imposition of sanctions on Russia in retaliation for the armed conflict. Over 1 in 2 (55%) Singaporeans felt positive about Singapore’s decision to join other countries in sanctioning Russia as well. Singaporeans seem to steadfastly support the Government’s principled decision against the war as Russia’s actions contravene international law and undermine the global rules-based system that small countries like Singapore depend on.
From Russia-Ukraine to US-China
The Russian-Ukraine conflict is a fair bit away, but its effects can be seen closer to home. A vocal minority of Singaporeans expressed strong criticism over Singapore’s stance. Their criticism unveils a concerning trend of viewing issues through a binary lens. These Singaporeans view the Government’s stance as being pro-US and at the same time, being anti-China/Russia. Some critics have even called on the Government to ‘keep quiet’ and follow China’s lead (at the time, China had only called for an end to armed conflict).
Singaporeans applying a binary and simplistic lens to a deeply complex issue should be a concern for the Singapore Government. Singapore’s stance against a ‘might is right’ approach by Russia is in line with the city-state’s commitment to a rules-based system. Singapore has long prospered under such a global framework. The idea to ‘keep quiet’ and follow China’s lead almost seems like some Singaporeans believe their own country has no agency in its foreign policies. The fact is that Singapore’s response is neither pro nor anti-US/China, only pro-Singapore. It is also simplistic to argue that being pro-US is also inherently being anti-China. With escalations rising, however, in the wake of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting Taiwan, and China warning of consequences (and acting upon them by cancelling military talks with the US), it may be tempting to pick sides, but it is more important, and prudent, than ever for Singapore to continue its principled yet largely neutral stance.
Culture wars
The simplistic views on US-China relations can also threaten the delicate racial relations in Singapore. Already, views on China vary significantly across different races. Many of the Singaporean Chinese who are pro-China are proud that China has risen as an economic, technological, and cultural global power from Asia. While true, some of these pro-China Singaporeans can be hyperbolic with their claims. The key concern is that Singapore is not China and that the pro-China views can cause inter-racial tensions, especially for Singapore’s minorities.
It certainly does not help that racial and religious relations in Singapore are under already threat from ‘Western’ ideas of work culture and religious extremism. The social justice warrior (SJW) movement, for example, has been called out for its intolerant views and unfair punishments on people. Several religious organisations with roots in American evangelism have been called out by Singaporeans for imposing intolerant views on minority groups.
The danger here is that some Singaporeans have adopted these intolerant views into their binary, simplistic lens on US-China relations. Many pro-China Singaporeans point to SJW rhetoric in proving China’s dominance. Woke culture and right-wing religious extremism have also been used by pro-US Singaporeans to justify their stance.
Singapore’s tough road ahead
Singapore is heading into a future with increasing divides, both globally and domestically. Much of the concern stems from the simplistic views some Singaporeans have on these complex issues.
A combination of efforts by both the Government and citizens will be needed to navigate these divisions. The government has already introduced plans to implement the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA) to legally combat against foreign interferences, misinformation, and propaganda campaigns. FICA’s success needs to be complimented by Singaporeans though. Through the formal education system, students have already been exposed to different techniques to understand the complexity of difficult issues. Singaporeans also have access to a variety of news sources. Having various sources is an important step in discerning credible information and developing comprehensive views on complex issues.
Global issues are becoming increasingly complex to understand. To discover how Blackbox Research can help governments, policymakers and civil society leaders navigate these complex global issues, write to us at connect@blackbox.com.sg for our latest insights and solutions.
Author: Blackbox Research Team
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