China–Singapore relations

China–Singapore relations

China
Singapore

People's Republic of China – Singapore relations officially started on October 3, 1990.[1] Diplomatic missions were established in the early 1990s based on trade and the warming of ties from other ASEAN countries towards mainland China.

Singapore and China have maintained a long-standing and greatly prioritized close relationship, partly due to the latter's growing influence and essentiality in the Asia-Pacific region, specifying that "its common interest with China is far greater than any differences". Furthermore, Singapore has positioned itself as a strong supporter for China's constructive engagement and peaceful development in the region. It has engaged cooperation with other ASEAN members and China to strengthen regional security and fight terrorism, while participating in the organisation's first maritime exercise with the latter.[2][3][4][5]

While relationship between the two countries stand strong, differences were experienced during numerous high-profile events, including Singapore's stance against China regarding the South China Sea dispute, Singapore's support for the United States' military presence and alliance system in Asia and the seizing of SAF vehicles by Hong Kong authorities in November 2016.[6]

Despite the disputes, Singapore and Beijing have consistently affirm their unwavering close relationship and bilateral ties, deepening their cooperation in numerous areas, including defence, economy, culture and education, as well as One Belt One Road Initiative. Singapore has also vowed to fully support and promote China's position in ASEAN, while managing the differences between the Chinese state and the organisation.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

History

Singapore as a British colony and as a part of Malaysia

Historic links between the two nations' people began much earlier than the founding of the People's Republic of China in October 1949. Most early Chinese migrants came as labourers to what was known as Nanyang to escape poverty and war. Many ethnic Chinese Singaporeans derived their ancestral roots in southern China from Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan provinces.[18]

Many ethnic Chinese people in Malaya and Singapore had supported China in the Second Sino-Japanese War (that became a part of the Second World War). This support extended to aiding the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party against the Japanese. Much like the Viet Minh, the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army guerrilla force turned into the Malayan National Liberation Army, associated with the Malayan Communist Party. The Malayan National Liberation Army fought in the Malayan Emergency and the Second Malayan Emergency as communist guerrillas, and China was accused of exporting revolution to Southeast Asia during this time.[19] China's support for the Malayan Communist Party ended when Malaysia and China established diplomatic relations in 1974.

The ethnic Chinese people were major supporters of the Malayan Communist Party, and Chinese-language secondary schools and Nanyang University were viewed hotbeds of communism (see Operation Cold Store and Chinese middle schools riots). Because of this association, Nanyang University was reorganized. It eventually merged with the University of Singapore to form the National University of Singapore.[20][21]

Post-Singapore independence

Lee Kwan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore was very careful to avoid giving any impression of Singapore, three-quarters ethnic Chinese, being a "Third China" (the first two being the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China). This was due to Singapore's experience with communists, the backdrop of the ongoing Vietnam War, as well as domestic political considerations. As a result, Singapore did not establish diplomatic relations with China until the other countries in the region had decided they wanted to do so, to avoid portraying a pro-China bias.[22][19] His official visits to China starting in 1976 were conducted in English, to assure other countries that he represented Singapore, and not a "Third China".[23]

During this period, Lee believed in the need to resist communism as part of the domino theory.[24] Between the failure of the British to defend Singapore in the Second World War and the belief that the United States was too war-weary to defend Singapore from communism, Lee welcomed American presence in the region to act as a counterweight to the Soviet Union and China.[22]

In the 1970s, People's Republic of China and Singapore began unofficial relations. This led to the exchange of Commercial Representatives' Offices between the two nations in 1981. In 1985, commercial air services between mainland China and Singapore commenced.[1]

Diplomatic ties between the two countries officially began in 1990. On 3 October 1990, Singapore revised diplomatic relations from the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China. The relationship between Singapore and the PRC has since improved significantly.[25] In 2004, shortly before the current Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong took office from the then incumbent Goh Chok Tong, he made a visit to Taiwan to familiarise himself with the latest developments there.[26] Bilateral ties took a dive.[27] The People's Republic of China took offence to the trip due to the complicated political status of the region[27] Later in 2004, Chinese government put bilateral relations on hold.[28] In his maiden National Day Rally speech, Lee criticized the Taiwanese leadership and populace of overestimating the support they would receive if they were to declare Taiwan independence;[29]

Singapore was the last country in Southeast Asia, to formally recognise the People's Republic of China.[30] Singapore still maintains unofficial relations with the Republic of China, including the continuation of a controversial military training and facilities agreement from 1975.[31] This is due to a lack of usable space in built-up Singapore.[31] The People's Republic of China has officially offered Singapore to shift its training facilities from Taiwan to Hainan Island,[31][32][33] with official annual military exercises known as Exercise Starlight (星光計畫)[34] in Taiwan.

Relations between the two countries gradually improved as China and Singapore forged agreements in free trade, education, foreign investment, modern armament and technology.[1] Examples are the Suzhou Industrial Park and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city, which were constructed with the help of Singapore.

While Singapore is not a party to the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, it has an interest in the outcome of these disputes since they have implications for international law, freedom of navigation, and ASEAN unity.[35] In 2016, China's Global Times accused Singapore of supporting the Philippines v. China ruling in favor of the Philippines during the Non-Aligned Movement meeting in Venezuela, based on unnamed sources.[36] The Global Times' account was disputed by Singapore's ambassador to China, Stanley Loh.[37] Thereafter, Yin Jinnan of the PLA National Defence University commented that "Beijing should make Singapore pay the price for seriously damaging China's interests" with retaliations and sanctions".[38]

In November 2016, nine Singapore Army Terrex armoured personnel carriers and associated equipment were seized by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department at the Kwai Tsing Container Terminal (formerly Kwai Chung Container Terminal).[39] The vehicles and equipment were being shipped back to Singapore from Taiwan after a military exercise in Taiwan. The shipment was seized because American President Lines (APL), the private shipping company engaged by the Singapore military to handle the shipment, did not have the appropriate permits for the vehicles equipment.[40] The shipment was later moved to the Hong Kong Customs depot at Hong Kong River Trade Terminal and kept indoors since December 6, 2016. This was Hong Kong's biggest seizure of such equipment in the past twenty years.[41][42] In January 2017, 2 months after the Terrex APC vehicles were detained, Hong Kong Customs announced that the military vehicles would be returned to Singapore. Commissioner of the Customs and Excise Department, Roy Tang Yun-kwong, said that shipping company American President Lines would likely face criminal charges over the incident for suspected breach of the Hong Kong Law.[43]

Some observers believe that Chinese attitudes toward Singapore are changing, in that they now know not to assume Singapore's support on international issues on the basis of ethnicity.[44]

Diplomatic representation

China has its Embassy at Tanglin Road in Singapore, while Singapore's Embassy in Beijing was established in 1990,[45] and it has Consulates-General in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Xiamen, as well as Hong Kong, known during the era of British rule as the Singapore Commission.[46]

Trade

The bilateral trade between China and Singapore developed rapidly in recent years and Singapore has maintained the first position among ASEAN countries in their trade with China.[1] China's transformation into a major economic power in the 21st century has led to an increase of foreign investments in the bamboo network, a network of overseas Chinese businesses operating in the markets of Southeast Asia that share common family and cultural ties.[47][48]

In 1998, volume of trade was US$8.154 billion in 1998.[1] In 1999, the trade value has increased to US$8.56 billion.[1] In 2000, the amount increased to US$10.821 billion.[1] In 2009, the total trade volume was SGD 75.1 billion (USD 58.4 Billion).[49]

Singapore is China's 9th largest trading partner.[50] While China is Singapore's 3rd largest trading partner which consisted of 10.1 percent of Singapore's total external trade from the previous year.[51]

China's export to Singapore were textiles, clothing, agriculture produce, petrochemical, metals, electromechanical equipment, feed, coking coal, shipping, machinery supplier, communication equipment and electronic components.[1]

Companies such as Capitaland and Breadtalk have made substantial inroads into China's domestic economy.[52][53][54] Others such as Temasek Holdings, Singapore Airlines have each invested in China Eastern Airlines.

Culture and education

One of the most visible symbols of China's efforts to export its soft power is the Confucius Institute. Confucius Institute in Singapore was established in 2005 as a collaboration with Nanyang Technological University, successor to the former Chinese-language Nanyang University. Its stated mission is to provide Singapore with a platform for learning the Chinese language and its culture, and enhancing communication with other Chinese communities.[55] In November 2015, China opened the China Cultural Centre in Singapore, to facilitate exchanges in arts and culture.[56]

Current difficulties notwithstanding, Singapore's economically-successful dominant party system has led its political system to be studied and cited as a potential model for China's government.[57][58] Such a viewpoint has been institutionalized: Nanyang Technological University offers master's degree programs that are well-attended by Chinese public officials.[59] Outside of programs for public officials, Singapore is a popular destination for Chinese students due to its education standards, its proximity to home, its perceived cultural similarities, and the cost of an education as opposed to the US or UK.[60] Paradoxically, while some Chinese students like Singapore for its cultural similarity, its meritocratic culture in contrast with the Mainland Chinese concept of guanxi (connections) is also viewed in a positive light.[61]

Aside from bilateral exchanges, Singapore's Chinese-language Lianhe Zaobao newspaper has been cited by Chinese officials as a symbol of Singapore's soft power through its reporting on China to the world. Zaobao.com was the first Chinese-language newspaper website to be available in 1995.[62] In 2009, access to Lianhe Zaobao was reportedly blocked by China's Great Firewall for a period, presumably due to Lianhe Zaobao's reporting on China's internet censorship.[63]

Chinese immigration to Singapore

Chinese people have immigrated to what is known as Singapore since Zheng He's voyages in the 15th century; those early immigrants integrated into the host societies, and their descendants are now known as Peranakans. Modern Chinese immigration is defined here as that occurring after Singapore's independence in 1965. Chinese immigrants to Singapore range from university students, skilled and unskilled laborers, professionals, and investors.

A large fraction of Singaporeans are ethnic Chinese (74% in 2015[64]), causing some people in China to view Singapore as a Chinese society that should consequently be sympathetic to China's interests.[65][66] Differing mutual expectations has been a problem from Singapore's first government-to government contacts with China. In fact, in one these early meetings, Chinese officials spoke of their affinity toward visiting Singaporean officials, referring to the latter as "kinsmen"; such a feeling was not mutual.[22] More recently, people from China have taken to describing Singapore as "Po County" (坡縣), comparing it with a county of China. This reference is made by some Chinese people due to perceived cultural similarities, but the comparison is not viewed favorably by many Singaporeans.[67]

The Singaporean Chinese today are largely Singapore-born and bred with the exception of some first-generation Chinese, and have no loyalty to either the People's Republic of China or to the Republic of China.[68] Singapore is especially sensitive to racial strife due to past riots (see list of riots in Singapore),[69] so Singapore's nation-building efforts have focused on building a multicultural Singaporean identity at the expense of Singaporeans' ethnic identities.[70]

The differing Singaporean and Chinese expectations lead to misunderstandings when China and Singapore's foreign policies are in conflict, described above. These misunderstandings also occur when Chinese citizens migrate to Singapore and conflict with the existing multicultural Singapore-centric society.[71] Examples of this conflict include a curry dispute that pointed to an immigrant family's difficulty with accepting the local culture,[72] an illegal bus driver strike in 2013 that challenged Singapore's sense of law and order,[73] and a traffic collision by a Chinese immigrant driving at 178 km/h killing several people that angered Singaporeans.[74] Some Singaporeans view these instances as manifestations of Chinese immigrants' lack of respect of the local culture, and an unwillingness to integrate.[75] Similar criticisms have been made of Indian immigrants.[76] Such views have been exacerbated by immigrants in general competing for opportunities and resources.[75]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Brief Introduction to Relations between China and Singapore". Xinhua News Agency. 2002-05-17.
  2. ↑ "Asean to step up terror fight, hold naval drill with China". The Straits Times. 7 February 2018.
  3. ↑ "Singapore, China leaders laud deep, growing ties". TODAYonline.
  4. ↑ "Singapore and China's common interest 'greater than any occasional difference of views': DPM Teo". Channel NewsAsia.
  5. ↑ "Singapore a 'strong supporter' of China's peaceful development". The Straits Times. 25 May 2017.
  6. ↑ Liang Fook Lye (2016-12-08). "Singapore-China relations hit another snag". Asia & The Pacific Policy Society.
  7. ↑ "Scope for greater Singapore-China cooperation in education and transport: Ng Chee Meng". The Straits Times. 1 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "Singapore, China to work together on Belt and Road projects". The Straits Times. 13 June 2017.
  9. ↑ "Enhanced cultural co-operation between Singapore and China". Base.
  10. ↑ "Singapore, China look to new areas of cooperation". The Straits Times. 21 September 2017.
  11. ↑ "Singapore to promote stronger Asean-China cooperation: PM Lee Hsien Loong". The Straits Times. 19 September 2017.
  12. ↑ "Singapore, China reaffirm commitment to deepen defence ties". Channel NewsAsia.
  13. ↑ "Singapore-China ties 'stable, in good state', PM Lee says after prominent visit". TODAYonline.
  14. ↑ "Singapore, US affirm 'robust' bilateral ties". Channel NewsAsia.
  15. ↑ "PM Lee, Chinese minister affirm strong ties". The Straits Times. 17 May 2017.
  16. ↑ "PM Lee and Chinese President Xi affirm bilateral ties". Channel NewsAsia.
  17. ↑ "The way forward for Singapore-China relationship". The Straits Times. 23 September 2017.
  18. ↑ John Wong. "Sino-Singapore Relations: Looking Back and Looking Forward". Singapore China Friendship Association. Retrieved 2017-07-16.
  19. 1 2 Tommy Koh (2016-03-15). "Taking stock of Singapore-China ties - past, present and future". The Straits Times.
  20. ↑ "Nanyang University". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board. 2014-09-09.
  21. ↑ Kartini Binte Saparudin; Lee Meiyu (2014-04-09). "Nanyang University's student activism". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board.
  22. 1 2 3 "Transcript of an interview with Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew by David Cox of London Weekend Television, recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, in May 1975" (PDF). National Archives of Singapore. 1975.
  23. ↑ "Lee Kuan Yew's Legacy for China-Singapore Relations". The Diplomat. 2016-12-05.
  24. ↑ Lee, Kuan Yew (2000). From Third World to First: The Singapore Story - 1965-2000. New York: Harper Collins. p. 467,573. ISBN 978-0-06-019776-6.
  25. ↑ Jens Kastner (2012-03-22). "Taiwan-Singapore soup turns bitter-sweet". Asia Times.
  26. ↑ "China warns Singapore officials against future visits to Taiwan". Singapore-window.org. 2004-08-26. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
  27. 1 2 "China opposes Lee Hsien Loong's visit to Taiwan" (Press release). Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America. 2004-07-12.
  28. ↑ BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific,1 (21 February 2005). "Chinese ambassador says ties with Singapore fully restored". ProQuest ANZ Newsstand. 795797051. Missing or empty |url= (help) .
  29. ↑ "Prime Minister's Office - National Day Rally Videos & Speeches". Nettv.1-net.com.sg. Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
  30. ↑ "Singapore: Foreign Policy, China". Singapore: A Country Study (archived at countrystudies.us). Washington, D.C.: GPO for the Library of Congress. 1989.
  31. 1 2 3 "Singapore military ties now a 'threat'". Taipei Times. 2002-04-23.
  32. ↑ "Singapore set to move training facilities from Taiwan to China". Singapore Window. 2002-09-22.
  33. ↑ "A David-and-Goliath tussle". Far Eastern Economic Review. 2004-08-05. Archived from the original (archived at Singapore Window) on July 16, 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
  34. ↑ "星光計畫 - 台灣大百科全書 Encyclopedia of Taiwan". Taiwanpedia.culture.tw. 2012-11-16. Archived from the original on 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
  35. ↑ "NDR 2016: Singapore must choose its own place to stand on South China Sea issue, says PM Lee". Channel NewsAsia. 2016-08-21.
  36. ↑ "Global Times: Singapore raises South China Sea arbitration at NAM summit of heads of state despite opposition". The Straits Times. 2016-09-27.
  37. ↑ "Singapore accuses Chinese paper of fabricating South China Sea story". Reuters. 2016-09-27.
  38. ↑ Tareq Haddad (2016-10-01). "Chinese military adviser says Singapore should 'pay the price' in South China Sea spat". International Business Times.
  39. ↑ "Hong Kong armoured vehicles seizure: What we know". BBC News. 2016-11-25.
  40. ↑ Adrian Lim (2016-12-31). "Terrex seizure: SAF will learn from incident, says Ng Eng Hen". The Straits Times.
  41. ↑ "Singapore military vehicles still detained, says Hong Kong customs".
  42. ↑ Phila Siu (2017-01-03). "Terrex vehicles seized by Hong Kong moved indoors". South China Morning Post.
  43. ↑ Bhavan Jaipragas (2017-01-24). "Hong Kong to return seized armoured vehicles to Singapore". South China Morning Post.
  44. ↑ "Academics: China views Singapore differently now". The Star. 2017-07-16.
  45. ↑ "Embassy of the Republic of Singapore, Beijing: About the Embassy". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2017-07-16.
  46. ↑ Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore, Hong Kong: About the Consulate-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore
  47. ↑ Quinlan, Joe (November 13, 2007). "Insight: China's capital targets Asia's bamboo network". Financial Times.
  48. ↑ Murray L Weidenbaum (1 January 1996). The Bamboo Network: How Expatriate Chinese Entrepreneurs are Creating a New Economic Superpower in Asia. Martin Kessler Books, Free Press. pp. 4–8. ISBN 978-0-684-82289-1.
  49. ↑ "External Trade". Yearbook of Statistics Singapore, 2010 (PDF). Department of Statistics Singapore. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-13. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  50. ↑ "US-China Trade Statistics and China's World Trade Statistics". The US-China Business Council. Archived from the original on 2013-01-18. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  51. ↑ Xinhua (July 9, 2010). "Singapore exports benefit from FTA with China". China.org.cn/.
  52. ↑ Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop (2010-12-21). "Bakeries Claim a Growing Niche in China". I.H.T. Special Report: Doing Business in China. The New York Times.
  53. ↑ "CapitaLand China to sell stake in Senning Property". China Knowledge]. 2010-12-31. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08.
  54. ↑ http://www.capitaland.com.cn/en/52_ENU_HTML.htm
  55. ↑ "Confucius Institute: About Us". Nanyang Technological University. Retrieved 2017-07-16.
  56. ↑ Leong, Weng Kam (2015-09-01). "Completed China Cultural Centre to boost arts exchange". The Straits Times.
  57. ↑ Peter Hartcher (2012-10-30). "Singapore a model for Chinese democracy". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  58. ↑ Peter Cai (2015-03-26). "Learning from Singapore: the great Chinese experiment". The Australian Business Review.
  59. ↑ "NTU launches the new Mayors' Programme for high-level Chinese officials" (Press release). Nanyang Technological University. 2012-04-11.
  60. ↑ "Singapore New Mecca for Chinese Students" (archived at China Internet Information Center). People's Daily. 2002-05-16.
  61. ↑ Clive Dimmock; Jason Ong Soon Leong (2010). "Studying overseas: mainland Chinese students in Singapore". Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education. 40 (1): 25–42. doi:10.1080/03057920903155666.
  62. ↑ Kor Kian Beng (2015-07-29). "Zaobao.com 'a symbol of Singapore's soft power'". The Straits Times.
  63. ↑ "China Blocks Singapore Site". 2009-12-15.
  64. ↑ "Statistics Singapore - Population Trends" (PDF). SingStat. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  65. ↑ Chua Mui Hoong (2017-05-21). "3 myths about Singapore-China ties". The Straits Times.
  66. ↑ "China's perception of Singapore: 4 areas of misunderstanding". The Straits Times. 2016-10-21.
  67. ↑ Xu Xin (2012-08-13). "Referring to Singapore as "Po County": Affectionate nickname or an insult?" (in Chinese). Lianhe Zaobao. Archived from the original on 2013-05-21.
  68. ↑ Wang Gungwu (2017-05-28). "Historian Wang Gungwu's take on 'Chinese identity & loyalty in S'pore' is worth reading". Mothership.
  69. ↑ Walter Sim (2015-10-05). "Racial, religious integration in Singapore an ongoing work: PM Lee Hsien Loong". The Straits Times.
  70. ↑ Lian Kwen Fee (1997). "Introduction: Ethnic Identity in Malaysia and Singapore". Southeast Asian Journal of Social Science. 25 (2): 1–6. JSTOR 24492393.
  71. ↑ Tash Aw (2015-02-12). "Being Chinese in Singapore". The New York Times.
  72. ↑ "Curry dispute". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board. 2015-05-11.
  73. ↑ "The Chinese Migrants Who Shocked Singapore: A WSJ Investigation". The Wall Street Journal. 2013-08-26.
  74. ↑ Andrew Jacobs (2012-07-26). "In Singapore, Vitriol Against Chinese Newcomers". The New York Times.
  75. 1 2 Anthony Kuhn (2012-07-26). "Millions Of Immigrants Cause Tension In Singapore". NPR.
  76. ↑ Nicholas Yong (2015-10-18). "Singapore's Indian immigrants: How are they integrating?". Yahoo News.

Further reading

  • Peidong Yang (2014). "Foreign talent": desire and Singapore's China scholars (DPhil). University of Oxford.
  • Zhang Feng (2017). "Assessing China's Changing Attitudes towards Singapore". China: An International Journal. 15 (3): 1–25.
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