U.S.-China Tensions May Force Nations to Choose, Singapore Says

by Dramelin 3:00 AM 0 comments

Singapore is not a claimant in the South China Sea.
Lee has warned previously that smaller countries in Southeast Asia do not want to have to pick a side, even as he said competition between major powers is unavoidable.
"If America-China relations become very difficult our position becomes tougher because then we will be coerced to choose between being friends with America and friends with China," Lee said in an interview with BBC?s ?HARDtalk? that aired on Wednesday.
Singapore risks being ?coerced? into choosing between the U.
S.
or China as the two powers jostle for influence in Asia, according to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Issues, Incidents?I wouldn?t say we have major problems, we?ve had some issues and some incidents,? Lee said of Singapore?s relationship with China.