Singapore strives to remain equidistant amid US-China rivalry: ‘same-same but different’

2026-03-02 - 11:06

Singapore’s long-standing effort to stay equidistant between the United States and China is entering a more volatile phase, with recent comments by officials reflecting their awareness of the mounting strain, analysts have said. Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday told parliament that Singapore would not act as a proxy for any major power, stressing that the city state must be prepared to “courteously stand up and say no”. Observers say his remarks come at a time when geopolitical...