What card is Singapore playing?

 PM Lawrence Wong made his first official visit outside Asean to China instead of the USA. This was a strong signal to both America and China that China is a very important partner to Singapore, but this would not be taken lightly by the Americans. In a way Singapore cannot visit Washington now in the face of Trump's hostile tariff policies and his rude remarks that leaders would be going to Washington to kiss his ass. This statement has made many leaders to stay away from Washington for the time being except for those that do not mind kissing Trump's ass.

Asean and the world are watching Singapore carefully in its relationship with the world's two superpowers, USA and China. Some may see this as Singapore playing the China card. Hsien Loong's comment that was played up in the social media about a world without America, ie World minus one, too gave the impression that America is losing its number one position in Singapore.

Then out of the blue came the release of information provided by America and India that China was cyberattacking Singapore. And Singapore treated this very seriously, like real when it is from the Americans and Indians. There was no indication of wanting to suspect that this could be another false flag incident to drive a wedge between China and Singapore by the Americans and the Indians. Or is this how Singapore is showing its hand, that it is playing the American and Indian cards?

China was furious and denied the allegation, calling for proof. The Americans and Indians would definitely have their versions of proof that China was guilty. How reliable or true were the proofs is subject to interpretation of the believers, as the motive and intent are political in nature. The consequence is that the China card seems to be dropped, and Singapore is now seen waving the American and Indian cards to China.

More reports are being churned out in local media about state hackers attacking Singapore. You can guess where the fingers are pointing. The source definitely not from America or India, or from 5 eyes countries. Singapore can trust its good friends not to hack into Singapore. Is China a friend or a foe? To the brain dead Singaporeans, this world is black and white. Only 'enemies' attack you. There are no such things as false flag or fabricated incidents. And China is so stupid, conducts hacking and be caught so easily by third world talents red handed, ... at the same time admitting that China's state hackers are the best in the world.  Never heard of the phrase, thief shouting thief?

Marcos Junior was reported saying that the Philippines is in the process of forming a coalition of likeminded countries against China. Singapore's defence pact with the Philippines and the visit of Lawrence Wong to the Philippines recently, a country that most Asean leaders would avoid, could be seen as playing the Philippines card.

So, which card is Singapore really playing? The China card seems to be shaky now with the cyberattack allegation still hanging in the air. But Singapore has nothing to worry about. Singapore can fall back on the American card, to earn plenty of dollars, and the Indian card, plenty of rupees, and also the Philippine card, the most powerful military state in Asean that is preparing for war with China. Having three cards is better than one, I supposed. And the three cards are all of the same shade of colours and likeminded, like Singapore.

At the worst, Singapore just loses China and find the door to BRICS completely shut. But with the big American and Indian markets fully open, Singapore's future is secured. This could be the reason why Singapore is putting more billions into India. And Singapore can count on the Philippines and can buy  more bananas and have more maids to grease its economy.

Singapore is in a very good position to have so many cards to play with. And the future is in India. Even if the Trump brings down America, India is a virgin market of growth with 1.4b potential middle class customers to feed. And Singapore can use its Indian diaspora to gain an edge in investing in India. Singapore must be thinking long term and playing the long game in India.

What do you think?

Trump is happy as long as he can collect tariffs aka more taxes

Trump is gloating about all the tariff successes. One question he and Scott Bessent dare not answer - Who are paying those tariffs?

Alright, there are agreements with Japan and now the EU, but who is going to pay for the 15% tariffs on imports from Japan and the EU? Not the Japanese or EU manufacturers. They are not going to eat the tariffs. The importers inside the USA are paying those tariffs to be passed on to USA consumers. The Hillbillies are paying for it, not the importers eventually. The importers will have to close shop if they are to absorb those tariffs. So, the question is still - Who are paying those tariffs? Simple question, but a very difficult question for Trump and Scott Bessent to answer. It is just fortunate for them that the Hillbillies are so easy to be manipulated, just like the Native American Indians before them.

As for the touted US$500 billion investments coming from Japan, that is a non-event to gloat about Japan already invested close to US$2 trillion in the USA and if Japan invested more in manufacturing, who can they sell their products to? On the other side of the coin, the USA wants to sell more to the Japanese, by forcing the Japanese to accept a lower threshold of safety for example USA made cars. The Japanese Government may relent, but Japanese consumers are not going to buy them knowing that safety features cannot stand up to Japanese consumer standards. What sounds great does not translate into great if we look closer at the picture. Japan is a country that relies on exports, not imports.


Anonymous

America, China or Singapore political system, which is better?

China has the best system of government in taking care of its citizen. Not like the so call democratic system, where politician only work to benefit themselves & their family/friend. Democratic system tends to lead to fight/disagreement among its citizens.

Perhaps we should think out of the box and create a system without any political party. Create a political school where people who wish to take up Ministerial appointment can enroll and study the various aspect of government.(study attachment to G various dept./town council..etc). Upon graduation after 3-4yrs, they could stand for election individually to sell their koyok of how they wish to run the country. We citizens will then vote for the one to lead the country. The winner can select from his course mate to run various G dept.

Unfortunately the current people in power will not allow such a system to appear, they will die die want to maintain their power till eternality.


Anonymous

Health checks - Another happy client

I'm a 51-year-old man and I’m psychologically allergic to health checks

Mr Imran Johri, a father of three children, knows how important regular health screenings are. He reflects on why he continues to resist getting the check-ups....

And as fate would have it, at the screening my wife wrestled me into doing, the doctor did detect an irregular rhythm in one of my arteries.

There were tears – mostly my wife's. After all, one of her deepest fears – that I would leave this world first – was suddenly very real.

More checks later revealed that my sputtering artery was the result of a combination of caffeine abuse, work stress and poor sleep habits. I am getting it sorted with follow-up checks, a revised diet plan and a crackdown on my coffee intake. CNA

Above is from an article in CNA emphasing how important a health check is and how happy one can be for doing the health check and discovered an irregularity. It would be another case of, wow, so lucky to do the checks or else, like striking lottery. Without the health check, the irregularity would not be detected. So, for those who would want to find out irregularities in their bodies in the early stages, some can be quite serious, it is better to go for health checks. This is the message of the article.

Imran is glad that he could live longer with the early detection and the preventive measures he is taking to take care of his condition. This is the part that I don't agree with. How long one lives is not directly related to one's health. Many irregularities and conditions are not death threatening and would not determine how long one could live. A health check could reveal whatever irregularities there are in the body. And most people have irregularities, big or small, life threatening or not. For those who want their bodies to be perfect, regular health checks are important to detect and treat any irregularities in the early stages. Some may make do with the little irregularities as they did not affect the quality of their lives.

In my own philosophy of life, how long one lives is fated, in a way predestined. Have or do not have irregularities or serious impairments in the body is not a factor that decides how long one would live, but would determine how well one can live while alive.

For those who are in doubt, fear of having irregularities in their bodies, they should go for check ups for peace of mind. This is a lifestyle choice.

Gaza Genocide continues unabated, with increasing deaths...Soon would be a forgotten issue

 Where is the conscience of the world when the Palestinians, a people just like anyone else, is being massacred everyday by the hundreds. And these are the women, old folks and children, defenceless, just to be butchered by the Americans and the Israelis. All the world could do, or think that is the best they could do, is to kpkb, call for ceasefire and nothing else. The UN is hapless, the ICJ, ICC, the Arab and Muslim world, ...forget about NATO, they are accomplices to this genocide.

BRICS, SCO, Global South, all could not do a thing to his shameful and barbaric slaughtering of a people right before their eyes. And the new hopeful, a group of 32 nation states called the Hague 30, looked so promising, claiming to be disgusted by the inactivity and haplessness of all other organisations, wanted to do something immediately. But nothing has been done, ended up just like the rest of the useless organisations, talk and talk, no action.

At the very least, they can cut off relations with Israel, stop trade and all activities with Israel, sanction Israel and Israelis from visiting their lands. But no, these simple unilateral things also cannot do, afraid to do, or being coerced by the Americans not to do.

After more than 70 years of lies and deceits by the Americans, with empty promises and theatres about defending the right of the Palestinians, but actually working with the Israelis to slaughter them and stealing their lands, only the very stupid would still believe in the Americans and their words. But there is no need to stretch any imagination to see the queue of Arab and Muslim leaders outside Washington, shaking hands with rogue Trump and all his murderers, and still begging the American terrorists to defend and protect the Palestinians. And when rogue Trump conveniently said yes to them, they are so happy and went home believing that Trump will honour what he said.

Stupidity has no cure. And it is happening everyday. After more than 70 years of being cheated and duped by the Americans, they continue to go to Washington to ask to be cheated, duped and made a fool of in front of the whole world and their people. Trump and his butchers and all the white leaders must be laughing themselves silly at all the Arab and Muslim leaders crawling to Washington to be fooled.

Is there really no Arab and Muslim leader that can see through the lies of the Americans? Is there really nothing that can be done to save the Palestinians from being massacred by the Americans and the Israelis? Have more theatres, more cries and make more calls for ceasefire to please their conscience or to appease the rage of their people for not doing anything to save the Palestinians. This is the best they could do.

And the massacres go on and on. Soon there will be no Palestinians left and the Americans would come and save the leftovers by creating a few reservations in West Bank or Gaza and march the last of the survivors into them, to save them like protecting extinct animals. And all the sillies and stupids would praise the Americans for their goodness and protecting the rights of the Palestinians to be alive.

And a Nobel Peace Prize for Trump and Netanyahu.