Singapore warns of ‘escalatory spiral’ as US-China trust erodes

[superadmin]

(Sept 24): A continued lack of strategic trust between the US and China could create an “escalatory spiral” that leads to a potential mishap between the two nations at a time when tensions are flaring over Taiwan, according to Singapore’s foreign minister.

“The key missing ingredient in this relationship, from the perspective of a dispassionate third country, is that there is a lack of strategic trust between the US and China,” Vivian Balakrishnan said on Friday (Sept 23) in New York at an event hosted by the Asia Society, according to prepared remarks. “I think the ultimate focal point for this is the Taiwan Straits, which is the reddest of red lines for Beijing.”

Balakrishnan said he’s observed on four separate trips to China in the past year that “attitudes have become more assertive” there, with a strong and growing nationalism and more “muscular” actions to defend international interests.

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