Even Beijing does not like Moscow's attempts to tear off pieces of Ukraine and declare them “independent republics.”
Russia's excuses for war against Ukraine make Asia nervous about its security. This was announced by Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during a visit to the United States, Newsweek reports.
Vladimir Putin based his aggression against the neighboring country on historical manipulations, surprising many observers and not only in Europe or North America. In the East, where China has become a major force on the rise, there are concerns that old territorial disputes may be revived in this way, the newspaper said.
“This war is affecting the Asia-Pacific region on many levels. First of all, it strikes at the international framework of law and order, as well as at peace between countries. It violates the UN Charter, threatens the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, especially small ones, “the Singaporean prime minister told a conference at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington.
On February 21, three days before the full-scale invasion to overthrow the government in Kiev, Putin said that Ukraine was allegedly “completely created by Russia.” He insisted that Ukrainians had neither their own culture nor a separate identity. And allegedly the dictators of the USSR Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Lenin “mistakenly gave the territory” to Ukraine. He described all these statements in the summer in a very long essay in which he called Russians and Ukrainians one people. When a full-scale war broke out last month, Putin's fabrications shook the whole of Asia, and most of all Taiwan, where people fear that Beijing is using similar historical rhetoric.
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Singapore strongly condemned the Russian invasion and supported the relevant UN decision. He also joined the sanctions against Moscow. Meanwhile, China, given its own strategic calculations, has done the exact opposite. It remains the only member of the UN Security Council to provide the Kremlin with significant political support.
“If insane decisions and” historical mistakes “can be an excuse for invasion, I think many of us in Asia will feel in danger. But it also applies to the rest of the world, “said Li Xian Lun.
The Singaporean leader sees the war against Ukraine as a threat to a multilateral order in which rival nations work together to address global issues, including trade, climate change and nuclear disarmament. He also believes that an arms race may begin in Asia due to Russian aggression. After all, countries like Japan and South Korea may want to increase the opportunities needed to ensure their own security. They can start building nuclear arsenals, despite all the risks involved.
“What is happening in Ukraine will have a huge impact on US-China relations. They have already become tense because of this, “said the Prime Minister of Singapore.
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Beijing's commitment to Moscow has drawn the Chinese side into an ideological conflict with the West. But according to the Singaporean leader, this will not happen in relations with China's neighbors.
“I do not think that the fact that China has refused to distance itself from Russia in the region will be worth anything. All countries in the region are concerned about the protection of sovereignty and the principles of the UN Charter. But they want to maintain their ties with China. And very few of them have close relations with Russia. Is it India, ”the Singaporean leader explained.
Richard Haass, president of the Center for International Relations, noted that Beijing's refusal to condemn aggression against Ukraine conflicts with China's declared position on sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“I think this puts China in an awkward position. Because in Ukraine the principles which the Chinese very much appreciate are broken. In particular, it is territorial integrity, sovereignty and non-interference. And if this can be done in Ukraine, if Donbass can be declared an enclave or even a republic, then what about Taiwan? ” Said Haass.
“Or other parts of Nehan China? This is a very difficult issue, “the Singaporean leader agreed, alluding to Tibet and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which have their own culture and identity.
“The sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of all countries, large and small, must be respected. An unprovoked military invasion of a sovereign country under any justification is unacceptable. We cannot allow any country to claim that the independence of another state is a historical mistake and someone's crazy decision. The war in Ukraine is affecting the Asia-Pacific region. We also have many potential tensions and problems that, if not addressed properly, can escalate into open conflict. Countries with interests in the region must make efforts so that we can resolve these disputes peacefully and not bring the situation to a point of no return, “said Li Xian Lun.
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