PM Lee discusses Taiwan, US-China relations & Terrex incident at Asia Future Summit

During the Question and Answer session, PM Lee responded to Danny Quah, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, who asked what is the most effective thing other countries could do to "pour oil" on the troubled waters between the powers.

He said that each state’s adherence to the One China principle — which sees "nearly every" country recognising China but having "informal, unofficial relations" with Taiwan — has to remain the "fundamental basis" on which relationships are maintained, and the status quo is justified.

PM Lee referred to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as an example:

"If we start thinking of Taiwan as an analogue of Ukraine — a member of the United Nations, which is Ukraine — an independent sovereign country and one which therefore deserves to be defended because it is on the good side and the others are on the wrong side — China is on the wrong side — I think you are changing a very fundamental basis of the international understanding, and it will have very dangerous consequences."

He added that if other countries could make that clear, it would be helpful.

"Sometimes it is not so clear, and especially with a new generation and with the media, it becomes not a question of One China, but a question of democracy versus autocracy. And I think going that way is dangerous," he said.

Communication, give and take

PM Lee then spoke about what other countries can do when it comes to issues between them and China or the U.S.

The key is communication, addressing them and working on them, and he gave examples like the (territorial claims in the) South China Sea, intellectual property issues or cyber security.

Real problems have to be acknowledged, discussed and worked out with equality and mutual respect, in "deed" as well as in word.

PM Lee mentioned that the issues he cited are mostly related to China because China is "changing the world."

"It is a country which is growing, it is a country which is occupying more space, stretching out, growing its influence, and accommodating that influence is the most important thing which the world must do, and that calls for cooperation between China and the rest of the world."

He also mentioned the upcoming U.S. presidential election in 2024, and that election seasons are heated contests where candidates have to try and not say things they will regret later.

If that happens, you have to minimise the consequences. It's also important to show goodwill and an understanding of how things appear to the other side.

"And therefore, it is not going to be so easy to accommodate (China) into the global system, and therefore (China) has to make its own concessions, its own accommodations, so that it is possible for a very difficult transition to take place peacefully.

And that is something which I think intellectually Chinese leaders understand; in practice making it happen and making it be appreciated and understood — that is a big challenge."

Terrex

An audience member asked a question "nearer to home."

"In 2016, nine of our vehicles, the Terrex, were held up in Hong Kong. And at that point in time, China said that, “You either have diplomatic relations with either one of us, Taiwan or China," he said, and asked how would Singapore handle another situation if it arose today, particularly the 4G leadership of government.

PM Lee clarified that the incident "did not involve China".

"We had a shipment of vehicles it passed through Hong Kong. The Hong Kong customs authorities impounded the vehicles. They said requirements, declarations had not been properly done.

So we dealt with the Hong Kong authorities and eventually the Hong Kong authorities released the vehicles and we took them home. But we were dealing with Hong Kong on the merits of the case. So what you described, never happened."

PM Lee hoped there wouldn't be a similar incident today, but if one does occur, it would be dealt with the same attention, sensitivity and propriety.

Every leader and minister in Singapore works as a team to hold the country's place in the world, he added. With regards to the 4G leadership of the government, PM Lee is confident that when they take over, they will be ready and grow in experience and stature in time with the job.

Ma Ying-jeou's question

Among the event attendees was Ma Ying-jeou, former Taiwan president.

Ma spoke of the importance of the "two sides of the Taiwan Strait" to meet and hold dialogues, and mentioned Singapore's involvement in two such cross-strait meetings, in 1993 and 2015.

The 2015 meeting involved both Ma and current China president, Xi Jinping.