{"id":32175,"date":"2026-02-27T20:02:39","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T12:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=32175"},"modified":"2026-02-27T20:02:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T12:02:39","slug":"spore-must-retain-ability-to-say-no-even-if-it-has-to-pay-a-price-for-position-on-issues-vivian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=32175","title":{"rendered":"S\u2019pore must retain ability to say \u2018no\u2019 even if it has to pay a price for position on issues: Vivian"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">SINGAPORE &#8211; <!-- -->Singapore has to retain its ability to say \u201cno\u201d to others, even if it has to pay a price for staking out its position on issues, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Speaking in Parliament on Feb 27, he noted that the Republic will face more strategic dilemmas and difficult choices in a tumultuous world. On some issues, Singapore\u2019s interests will not always be aligned with the great or middle powers, or its immediate neighbours.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But as pressure to take sides mounts externally and domestically, the country has to stand firm and say no, Dr Balakrishnan said in a speech that laid out Singapore\u2019s foreign policy stance during the debate on his ministry\u2019s budget.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cSometimes, we will pay a price for staking out our position,\u201d he said. \u201cBut&#8230; if we ever lose that ability to say no, then that is the day that Singapore loses its relevance \u2013 indeed, our independence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">It is not about choosing sides, but upholding principles and Singapore\u2019s long-term national interests, he added.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"S\u2019pore has ability to say no to great powers: Vivian\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/id0k_v_UViA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He told the House that a new stable equilibrium will not emerge in 2026, with the world now more dangerous for small countries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">While the global order that used to underpin Singapore\u2019s success has ended, the country has the agency, resilience and resources to chart its own course, he said, describing the current situation as \u201cnot just a small tremor, (but a) geostrategic tectonic plate rupture\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Singapore will exercise its agency to articulate its positions \u2013 which have not been universally welcomed in the past \u2013 that align with its national interests, he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged that Singaporeans will have different views on foreign policy issues, though they do not necessarily have to agree on their stances.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cBut we must agree that these are matters to be discussed and decided by Singaporeans alone,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWith increased global contestation, foreign actors will want us to see and accept their views. They will try to seed their narratives. There may be attempts to create fake news or deepen internal division.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Singapore must be aware that geopolitical contestation has become a tussle for hearts and minds, and exercise caution as the diverse population here is vulnerable to becoming polarised and fractured, he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In his speech, Dr Balakrishnan cited past examples where Singapore consistently called out violations of international law \u2013 when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/world\/europe\/russias-putin-announces-a-military-operation-in-ukraine?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">Russia invaded Ukraine,<\/p>\n<p><\/a> and in relation to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/spore-gravely-concerned-by-us-intervention-in-venezuela-urges-all-parties-to-exercise-restraint?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">US\u2019 actions in Venezuela<\/p>\n<p><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe took these stands because a world based on \u2018might is right\u2019 is more dangerous for Singapore,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Singapore has also expressed disappointment with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/world\/united-states\/singapore-tariffs-to-stay-unchanged-as-trump-imposes-new-10-global-levies?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">the US tariffs<\/p>\n<p><\/a> that contravened the principles of a rules-based trading system and mechanisms like the most-favoured-nation principle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cTrade is our lifeblood,\u201d said Dr Balakrishnan, noting that the Republic\u2019s total trade is more than three times its gross domestic product. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cJobs, investments and living standards depend on our predictable access to external markets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Singapore also took clear positions on the Israel-Gaza conflict, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/singapore-strongly-condemns-terror-attacks-on-israel-calls-for-end-to-violence?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">condemning the Oct 7, 2023 attack<\/p>\n<p><\/a> and stating that Israel\u2019s military response breached international humanitarian law, he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He reiterated Singapore\u2019s national interests: to safeguard sovereignty, independence and national unity; to secure access to essential supplies and freedom of navigation; to strengthen its role as a global hub for trade and other areas; and to support a rules-based multilateral order wherever possible.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Going forward, as a small state, Singapore must try to shape its environment and carve out conditions most conducive to its survival and success.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Dr Balakrishnan said his ministry will do this by engaging all great powers constructively and giving them a stake in the stability and prosperity of the region, as this provides small states like Singapore with room to manoeuvre. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Several MPs, like Mr Henry Kwek (Kebun Baru) and Ms Jessica Tan (East Coast GRC), raised concerns about US-China tensions and Singapore\u2019s ability to navigate these, to which Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore wants to work with both countries \u201cwhere our interests coincide\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cAnd where our interests diverge, we will have to courteously stand up and say no,\u201d he said, adding that there must be an understanding that it is not a personal decision, or done as a proxy for either side, but based on a principal assessment of Singapore\u2019s national interests. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThe reality is that all countries, including Singapore, will have to find creative ways to work with both the US and China,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also work to strengthen a wider network of middle-power partnerships for greater stability \u2013 such as by upgrading partnerships and opening more diplomatic missions \u2013 and deepening regional integration for ASEAN to remain relevant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The regional grouping remains a cornerstone of the Republic\u2019s foreign policy, said Dr Balakrishnan, noting that Singapore will assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2027.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThis is a heavy responsibility, but also an opportunity. We will use our chairmanship to pursue deeper integration and promote external partnerships,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe will work to keep the ASEAN region open for business, open to the world, and committed to peace, stability and cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Dr Balakrishnan said his ministry will also build greater synergy between Singapore and its immediate neighbours. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Responding to Mr Patrick Tay (Pioneer) on stepping up engagement with Malaysia and Indonesia, Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore has resolved longstanding issues with Indonesia and is exploring mutually beneficial projects in energy, food security, education and healthcare.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">With Malaysia, the leaders meet regularly for candid discussions, which have led to beneficial regional partnerships. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cAt the same time, we must manage outstanding bilateral issues that are complex and will take time to resolve. We will always be close neighbours, so we cannot afford to allow spiky issues to undermine our overall positive cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The minister also agreed with Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) and Mr Lee Hong Chuang (Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC) on the need to continue support for the multilateral system.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Singapore remains committed to the World Trade Organization, but achieving consensus among 166 members is difficult, he noted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Instead, Singapore will aim for high-ambition agreements with like-minded partners that are inclusive so others can join when ready.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Concluding his speech, Dr Balakrishnan pointed out that Singapore is in a far better position today to deal with various challenges, with the prerequisites for success in place: domestic unity, economic relevance and defence capabilities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He noted that domestic unity is a work constantly in progress, especially in the face of forces that seek to divide the Republic\u2019s people. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cAs long as we can inoculate ourselves from foreign influence, as long as we can disagree maturely and ultimately, still forge a domestic consensus, we will continue to thrive,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe cannot be bought or bullied by anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Singapore\u2019s economic vitality and relevance to the world as a \u201ctrusted, stable hub\u201d also cannot be taken for granted, and must be preserved, said Dr Balakrishnan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThere is a premium in such a world for stability, consistency and respect for the rule of law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Additionally, Singapore\u2019s steady spending on defence \u2013 ranging between 3 per cent and 6 per cent of GDP for almost six decades \u2013 has allowed the Republic to defend itself.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe must preserve this capability, because it keeps us safe \u2013 and we are a country that can hope for the best, but also prepare for the worst,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/politics\/spore-must-retain-ability-to-say-no-even-if-it-has-to-pay-a-price-for-position-on-issues-vivian\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SINGAPORE &#8211; Singapore has to retain its ability to say \u201cno\u201d to others, even if it has to pay a price for staking out its&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32177,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32175"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32175\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/32177"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}