China Is Sending Singapore A Tough Message

A backlash ensues after a petition circulated asking the Prime Minister of Singapore to apologize to China following the impounding of Singaporean military vehicles.
by December 6, 2016

After nine armored personnel carriers (APCs) were impounded in Hong Kong by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) government, there is speculation that China’s move was premeditated, in order to ensure that Singapore aligns itself with China as it seeks to assert itself as a regional superpower.

Certain quarters have asked for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to apologize for any statements in the past that have been contradictory to China’s expansionist “Nine-Dash Line” claims in the South China Sea. An online petition has even been circulated:

Some of the pro-Beijing crowd criticizing the Prime Minister included opportunistic Opposition figures who saw an opportunity to take a shot at a Prime Minister of a party that has been in party since the country’s independence from Malaysia.

The communist apologists demand that the Prime Minister apologize for any unfriendly remarks towards China. Supporters point to populist leaders such as Najib Razak of Malaysia and Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, who are running off to align themselves with Beijing and are reaping the “benefits” of multi-billion dollar construction projects, such as the Iskandar development in southern Malaysia.

Read Original Post on TR Emeritus

Due to Singapore’s small size, it has to conduct its military training operations on foreign soil, and has been doing so with Taiwan since “Operation Starlight” commenced in the mid ’70s. It has been an open secret that this has been occurring.

Yet, Singaporean troop deployments in Taiwan under Operation Starlight have already come down to 3,000 a year from a peak of 15,000. Singapore would not be able to realistically conduct large-scale training exercises required on Taiwanese soil with lower troop levels. 

Citizens took to social media to voice their displeasure with the threat against their independence and panned any suggestion that Singapore’s leadership should apologize for any remarks that challenged China’s claims over territory in Singapore’s backyard.

“If we start giving in to China, start being cowed by their intimidation, then we might as well call ourselves Hong Kong II. And look at Hong Kong. How much autonomy do they have? Sure. We may say that we live in a single party dictatorship today. Even if that were really the case, at least those people are Singaporeans. Would we rather trade that so that we are run by overlords from China?

I don’t know about you. But I certainly don’t want that. Even though I am ethnically Chinese, I have no intention of being a Chinese national. And unless you don’t want to be a Chinese national too, I suggest we grow some balls, get some iron into our bones, straighten our backs, and get behind our government on this.”

                                     – RENChoo, CrazyRandomChatter

Will Singaporeans continue to stand up for their independence against an aggressive China?

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Categories
South East AsiaCulture & PoliticsEast Asia

by Free Asia News - Dec 6, 2016

by Free Asia News - Dec 6, 2016

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