Singapore wants ‘full rights of recovery’ on seized military vehicles, while looking to cool tension with China
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said Singapore “will not deviate” from the One-China principle
Singapore reassured China that it “will not deviate” from the One-China principle while making it clear the city state hopes to exercise its “full rights of recovery” available after a meeting today between the Hong Kong government and shipping company APL.
The remarks by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen came the day after China’s foreign ministry said China had lodged a diplomatic protest to Singapore over the saga, demanding the Lion City to strictly abide by the One-China principle.
Observers said the protest was a warning to both Singapore and Taiwan, as Singapore has been carrying out military exercises on the self-ruled island—a practice that has long angered Beijing.
“We all know, and China knows, that we’ve had special arrangements with Taiwan for a long time, and what we are doing there is no longer a secret,” Dr Balakrishnan said at The Straits Times Global Outlook Forum, according to the newspaper.
The minister said he has already told his Chinese counterpart that Singapore values its longstanding relationships.
