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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 000618 
 
CODEL 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS SENATE FOR SENATOR LIEBERMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2018 
TAGS: PREL MARR OVIP CH JA SN KN
SUBJECT: MANAGE CHINA'S RISE CAREFULLY, FM YEO TELLS 
SENATOR LIEBERMAN 
 
REF: SINGAPORE 586 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo told 
Senator Joseph Lieberman May 30 that strong U.S. engagement 
in the Asia-Pacific was essential to managing China's 
peaceful rise.  Absent a strong U.S. presence, China's near 
neighbors might fear its expansionism.  In Southeast Asia, 
countries would need to accommodate China as it asserted its 
prerogatives, limiting their freedom.  Describing his visit 
this month to North Korea, FM Yeo said the DPRK's deep 
mistrust of China might explain its interest in relations 
with "non-threatening" countries like Singapore.  Noting 
parallels in the Middle East, the Senator observed that 
surface political ties sometimes obscured deep historical 
enmities.  He argued that the next U.S. Administration should 
strengthen alliances and pay close attention to the 
Asia-Pacific region.  In a brief separate meeting, Defence 
Minister Teo highlighted our close bilateral military ties as 
a "concrete expression" of Singapore's belief that strong 
U.S. presence is essential for regional peace and stability. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) Senator Lieberman said he looked forward to 
participating in the Shangri-La Dialogue May 30 - June 1 in 
Singapore.  The Dialogue had developed into a premier forum 
for discussing Asia-Pacific security issues.  He expressed 
admiration for Singapore's achievements and appreciation for 
our close bilateral security partnership.  The Senator 
observed that U.S. ties in the Asia-Pacific were in good 
shape overall, but that the policy discussion in the United 
States since 9/11 had focused on Iraq and Afghanistan. 
Whoever was elected as the next U.S. president should give 
the region the attention it deserves. 
 
Managing China's Rise - Strong U.S. Engagement Essential 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶3. (C) FM Yeo said the Shangri-La Dialogue provided "neutral 
ground" where China and the Western powers, among others, 
could discuss security issues.  He warmly praised an opinion 
piece the Senator co-authored with Senator John McCain that 
appeared May 27 in the Asia Wall Street Journal calling for 
strengthened U.S. engagement in Asia.  FM Yeo said the 
central question for Asia in the next century would be 
China's rise and how the United States would deal with it. 
If China's insecurities were managed properly, it would pull 
itself out of poverty and become connected with the rest of 
the world.  If not, the consequences would be "incalculable." 
 Likening China to an adolescent, FM Yeo described world 
reactions to developments in Tibet and the Olympics as 
"formative experiences" that would influence its attitude 
toward the outside world.  China's would be much harder to 
influence as "an adult," he said. 
 
¶4. (C) FM Yeo stressed that strong U.S. engagement was 
essential to maintain balance in the region.  China's 
thinking that the United States was weakening could lead to 
instability.  China's history of being invaded when it was 
weak had given it a preoccupation with wanting to keep its 
borders calm.  China's near neighbors worry that without a 
strong U.S. presence China could become expansionist, FM Yeo 
said.  In Southeast Asia, "we don't think so," but a growing 
China would "insist on its prerogatives" and countries in the 
region would feel the need to accommodate.  If the United 
States and China developed as two "equal poles," however, 
other countries would feel more secure and have "more 
freedom." 
 
¶5. (C) The Senator mentioned that he had been impressed with 
opinion pieces by Singapore founding father Lee Kuan Yew 
warning that defeat in Iraq would have consequences in 
Southeast Asia.  If the United States retreated now, the 
Senator said, it would not only mean victory for Iran and Al 
Qaeda; it would also undermine U.S. credibility throughout 
the Arab world and beyond.  The Senator said that during his 
visit to Japan, he had sensed "real worries" that the United 
 
SINGAPORE 00000618  002 OF 002 
 
 
States was drawing too close to China.  Based on history, 
some of Japan's fears of China seemed "fantastic," he said, 
but the next U.S. Administration nevertheless needed to 
bolster our alliances.  That said, conflict with China is 
"not inevitable." 
 
North Korea - A Strange Place 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) FM Yeo told the Senator of his visit earlier this 
month to North Korea, which he described as a "strange place" 
(reftel).  Traveling hundreds of miles by car and train, FM 
Yeo said he had the impression there was not enough food, 
though he saw no signs of famine.  He saw few machines or 
farm animals and the hillsides were denuded, apparently 
having been stripped of trees for firewood.  Yet the country 
was remarkably clean and orderly, FM Yeo said, and the people 
were hardworking and warm "once you got to know them." 
 
¶7. (C) FM Yeo recalled that he had wondered why his North 
Korean counterpart had repeatedly asked about training and 
medical care in Singapore, given that similar services were 
readily available in China.  Then it occurred to him that the 
North Koreans saw Singapore as "non-threatening."  A Korean 
businessman had explained to him that the North Koreans hate 
the Chinese, apparently because they fear China will control 
them, despite the fact that some two hundred thousand Chinese 
had died fighting for the North in the Korean War.  The 
Senator observed that it is easy to misunderstand such 
relationships if you only look at political connections. 
Some people assume that Iraq's current government could 
easily fall under Iranian influence due to their ties as 
fellow Shia Muslims, but there are deep historical and even 
personal strains between them.  Similarly, many Palestinians 
feel that Arab neighbors have not treated them well or with 
respect. 
 
Defence Minister Teo 
-------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) In a brief separate meeting with Defence Minister Teo 
Chee Hean, Senator Lieberman reiterated his admiration for 
Singapore's development and appreciation for our close 
bilateral strategic partnership, which he described as 
important to the United States.  Def Min Teo recalled the 
development of the relationship starting in the 1970's and 
culminating with the 2005 bilateral Strategic Framework 
Agreement (SFA), which provided enhanced U.S. military access 
in Singapore and strengthened strategic cooperation.  The SFA 
was a "concrete expression" of Singapore's belief that a 
strong U.S. regional presence is essential for peace and 
stability in the region. 
 
¶9. (C) Def Min Teo repeated FM Yeo's praise for the Senator's 
joint May 27 opinion piece with Senator McCain calling for 
strong U.S. engagement in Asia.  The Senator responded that 
the United States considers itself a Pacific power and said 
he thought the importance of Asia was well understood at the 
leadership level in the United States.  Unfortunately, 9/11 
had intervened to direct our attention to the Middle East. 
Even so, he thought the United States had the capacity to 
look after its interests in both regions.  Def Min Teo said 
that Singaporeans were following the U.S. election with great 
interest since, he claimed, the outcome probably has as great 
an effect on "the man in the street" in Singapore as in 
middle America. 
 
¶10. (U) Codel Lieberman cleared this message. 
 
Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm 
HERBOLD