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

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The American and Chinese flags in Washington, DC. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:07pm, 9 Nov 2021Updated: 8:59am, 10 Nov 2021

Singapore believes neither the United States nor China is turning inward for good, as both recognise their dependence on the rest of the world for talent, resources and markets, one of the city state’s next generation leaders said on Tuesday.

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.

Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing (L) speaks at an IISS event on November 9, 2021. Photo: Facebook

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.

He said global leadership was needed now more than ever to lift the world out of the pandemic, to rebuild disrupted supply chains, and to tackle climate change.