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FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7805
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 000166 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EAP/MTS - M. COPPOLA, 
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/CM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2020 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EFIN CN SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE TAKES NOTICE AS CHINA BECOMES MORE 
ASSERTIVE 
 
Classified By: CDA DANIEL SHIELDS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B +D) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: A recent editorial about tensions in U.S.- 
China relations in the Government-influenced Straits Times 
was intended to curry favor with a more assertive China, 
Singapore analysts told PolChief.  China has emerged from the 
economic crisis emboldened and will likely follow through on 
its threat to enact some sort of sanctions against U.S. 
companies, analysts said.  Singapore hopes the United States 
will not back down in the face of Chinese pressure because 
that would encourage China to become increasingly assertive 
in its dealings with other countries on issues such as its 
claims in the South China Sea.  However, Singapore also fears 
a continued escalation of tensions between the United States 
and China, which Singapore believes would only be bad for the 
region, analysts said.  End Summary. 
 
The Unabashedly Pro-China Editorial 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) The Government-influenced Straits Times newspaper 
published a slew of articles during the week of February 8th 
concerning recent tensions between the United States and 
China.  While most of the articles presented a balanced 
assessment of the reasons for tensions and postulated that 
they would likely blow over soon, one editorial put the blame 
for the rise in tensions squarely on the United States.  The 
editorial stated that the recently announced U.S. arms sales 
to Taiwan were "ill-conceived, almost provacative...and that 
it is not credible to expect Chinese support or acquiescence 
in denying Iran a nuclear capability if it is at the expense 
of China's old linkages with Tehran." 
 
¶3. (C)  Straits Times Senior Writer William Choong told 
PolChief that an editorial such as this with no byline is 
considered the official position of the newspaper, and that 
the paper's Senior Editor is responsible for vetting its 
content and message.  Articles in the Straits Times, 
including unattributed editorials, generally support the 
Government of Singapore's position on issues.  "The article 
does not represent Singapore's view on China, but it does 
represent some in Singapore's view," Choong said. 
Acknowledging that most of the articles on the issue 
(including his own) did not take a "pro-China" stance, Choong 
suggested that the reason the newspaper put out this kind of 
editorial was to acknowledge an emerging view in Singapore of 
a more assertive China and the subsequent need for more 
"balanced" reporting on China issues. Choong said that as an 
experiment that he would try to write a more pro-U.S. 
editorial and see if the Senior Editor would allow it to be 
published. 
 
The Rise and Influence of China's Bloggers 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Singapore was surprised by the vociferous negative 
reaction of China's blogger community to remarks made by 
Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew during an April 2009 
visit to the United States in which he said the United States 
should maintain a robust presence in Asia in order to balance 
a rising China, East Asia Institute Professor Lye Liang Fook 
told Polchief.  Given the blogger community's negative 
reaction, the GOS was grateful that the Government of China 
did not also publicly criticize LKY's comments, Lye said. 
Recounting the downturn in Singapore-China relations brought 
about by the Government of China's negative response to then 
Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's visit to Taiwan in 
2004, Lye said Singapore is beginning to conclude that it 
needs to tread more carefully on issues that China considers 
part of its core interests.  The rise of China's blogger 
community and Beijing's perceived need to pander to an 
increasingly nationalistic domestic audience mean it is 
unlikely that Beijing would again turn a blind eye to 
comments it perceived to be anti-China, Lye said. 
 
China More Assertive 
-------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) While China has always wanted the United States to be 
more sensitive to and respectful of its core interests, such 
as Taiwan and Tibet, China feels it is now in a stronger 
position to change the traditional calculus in its relations 
with the United States, Lye said.  China wants to let the 
United States know that it now has the ability to impose 
tangible penalties, he said.  Lye speculated that China would 
go through with its threat to enact at least some form of 
 
SINGAPORE 00000166  002 OF 002 
 
 
sanctions against U.S. companies, even temporarily, if only 
to allow it to ease tensions by eventually removing the 
sanctions. 
 
¶6.  (C) Singapore has noted the change in China's attitude 
and is closely watching developments in U.S.-China relations, 
said Lye.  Despite China's new assertiveness, Singapore hopes 
that the United States will not back down, by putting off a 
meeting with the Dali Lama, for example, as that would only 
embolden China in other areas, Lye said.  Singapore is 
concerned that if China's new assertiveness causes the United 
States to back down, China might take a harder edge in its 
dealings with individual ASEAN countries, especially in its 
effort to press its claims in the South China Sea.  Lye 
added, however, that Singapore hopes the United States can 
protect its interests without further escalating tensions, 
which he believed would be bad for the region and for 
Singapore. 
SHIELDS 
 
Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm