Translated by Federico Emanuele
"The image of the United States has changed: from liberators to great disruptors, and now to landlords seeking rent."
This was the statement made by Singapore's Defense Minister, Ng Eng Hen, during a roundtable at the Munich Security Conference last February. His remark reflects the shifting perception of the United States in Asia and on the global stage. In his speech, the minister emphasized the impact of the trade war during Trump's first presidency and the uncertainty surrounding how new tensions might affect the global economy. In particular, he highlighted that "trade and security are two sides of the same coin," suggesting that strategic and security alliances will inevitably adapt to new trade dependencies.
This principle is particularly relevant in Asia: for over 60 years, the United States has been regarded as a guarantor of freedom and stability in the region, basing its presence on moral legitimacy, as expressed by Kennedy in his rejection of replacing colonial rule with an "iron tyranny" (referring to the Soviet Union). However, over time, the image of the United States has shifted: from liberators to great disruptors due to unpredictable policies and economic conflicts, and finally to "landlords seeking rent," a definition that portrays them as actors more interested in extracting economic and political advantages than promoting mutual benefits.
The use of this phrase is significant because, in the face of growing U.S.-China rivalry, Singapore has consistently adopted a balancing strategy, known as a hedging strategy, avoiding taking a clear side between Washington and Beijing while maximizing the benefits of cooperation with both powers. This position is common among Southeast Asian states, where maintaining independence and self-determination is crucial to avoiding dynamics reminiscent of the Cold War. Singapore is one of the strongest supporters of ASEAN principles, strictly adhering to the policy of non-intervention and promoting a more central role for member states. At the same time, it has developed an independent profile as a mediator between China and the United States.
Historically, Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, maintained relationships with every U.S. and Chinese president and played a key role as an intermediary between Deng Xiaoping and Chiang Ching-kuo, the respective leaders of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China, given the absence of official relations between the two sides.
A significant episode was the meeting with Chinese Premier Li Peng in August 1990, after the Tiananmen Square massacre. While many Western countries and ASEAN members had cut diplomatic ties with Beijing, Singapore chose to maintain dialogue, distinguishing itself through its pragmatic stance. At the same time, at the end of the Cold War, when it seemed that U.S. bases in the Philippines would be closed, Singapore ensured U.S. access to its military facilities, particularly by constructing a new pier at the Changi Naval Base, designed to accommodate U.S. aircraft carriers despite not possessing any of its own.
Like many U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region, Singapore continues to view Washington as a necessary counterbalance to China. However, it has also expressed the need to avoid overtly anti-China rhetoric, warning that such an approach could compromise regional peace and stability.
This balancing strategy, however, was challenged during Trump’s first term, when Singapore openly criticized the U.S. withdrawal from multilateralism, particularly from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and its preference for bilateral agreements. The government warned that this trend risked dividing the region into two blocs: one pro-American and the other pro-Chinese.
In September 2019, Singapore renewed a 30-year agreement with Washington, guaranteeing U.S. forces access to its air and naval bases. At the same time, in June 2022, it strengthened its ties with China by agreeing to resume joint military exercises, which had been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recent U.S. policies, such as the renewed Trump administration’s approach to Russian President Vladimir Putin and its willingness to negotiate directly on the war in Ukraine, have raised doubts in Asia about Washington's ability to ensure regional stability.
In this context, the words of Singapore’s Defense Minister take on a deeper meaning: defining the United States as "landlords seeking rent" evokes the long colonial history and exploitation that has marked the past of many Asian countries. This reflects growing distrust in America’s commitment to Asia and signals a potential redefinition of the region’s geopolitical balance
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