US, China not turning inward for good, says Singapore minister, urging superpowers to ‘win the world over’ with leadership
- Chan Chun Sing, one of Singapore’s ‘4G’ leaders, urges the US and China to lead ‘through the power of their example rather than the example of their power’
- Small players like Singapore don’t need to be bystanders in great power rivalry but can help shape new norms for digital world and fight climate change, he says
With the two superpowers competing within a single global system, success would be determined by who could manage domestic challenges and exercise global leadership “through the power of their example rather than the example of their power”, Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing said.
“Whoever can create more and better opportunities for the world, whoever can provide leadership for a more connected world, whoever acts in enlightened self-interest to benefit the world rather than narrow self-interest to benefit only itself will succeed through the power of their example,” he said.
Chan is a member of Singapore’s so-called fourth generation, or 4G, group of young leaders and is among the favourites to become the city state’s next prime minister.
“There is tremendous opportunity for both the US and China to focus on these global challenges and exercise their respective leadership to win the world over.”
Chan, who was speaking at a lecture in Singapore organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank, said the rest of the world – including small states like Singapore – should not be bystanders in the era of great power rivalry.
We can send a clear message that we will act on principle and do not wish to be corralled into taking sides
Rather, they must recognise their responsibility and agency to play a constructive role and work towards an outcome in which the world remains inclusive, open and interconnected.
For a start, countries should avoid a zero-sum mentality, he said, calling it a “false dichotomy that one side must lose for the other side to win”.
“We can send a clear message that we will act on principle and do not wish to be corralled into taking sides,” he said. “Taking sides regardless of issues and context breeds irrelevance, and if one is irrelevant, it will almost certainly require taking sides.”
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G-zero model?
National University of Singapore law school dean Simon Chesterman referred to China’s “political isolation” and “Trumpism” in the US when he asked Chan if the world had arrived at a G-zero model, with no global leader.
Chan said it was important not to “over characterise some of the short-term actions that we see” as there would always be forces wanting to connect more with the world and those that wanted to erect more barriers to protect locals.
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The US had substantial economic interests in Asia and Chinese firms strived to be global enterprises, he said, and Singapore’s position was that it sought to constantly value-add its relationships with both and be a relevant partner.
Asked about how Singapore could remain relevant in a changing world riven with faultlines and contests, he said the city state, as a small country, would need to “try harder”, and it needed to have good ideas and ride on its advantages.
He also urged countries to come together to establish new norms for the digital world, Countries could also create new and sustainable solutions for a greener world, and work on recovering from Covid-19.
Singapore was often viewed as a “honest broker”, and its credibility stemmed from not taking sides in the great power competition. It tried to bridge differences between parties that had diverse interests and would engage with all the stakeholders, including China, he said.
This was one way the city state contributed to the world. “This is not a function of the size of a country. It is a function of our reputation and the consistency with which we approach an issue,” he added.
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Asked about how Singaporeans should view tensions in the Taiwan Strait, Chan, a former army chief, said he did not believe Beijing would use force to retake the self-ruled island, unless it is forced to.
Singapore, Chan said, was in no position to mediate but could help facilitate meetings, such as the historic 2015 meeting between Xi and former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou.
“To the extent that we can be helpful in helping various parties understand each other‘s perspectives and bottom lines, I think we will do that.”
