Singapore PM faces backlash for remarks perceived as favoring Japan in China-Japan tensions

Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai found himself embroiled in hot water after his recent remark on China and Japan tensions being labeled as inclined towards Japan, which was deemed as suggesting that Beijing put the history aside and move forward.

This came after Wong attended an economic forum gala dinner organized by Bloomberg last month. When asked about the spat going on between China and Japan regarding Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remark over Taiwan, Wong said the China-Japan relationship is "important" and hopes that "both countries will find ways to de-escalate the current issue". 

"They also have disputes in the Senkaku Islands. And of course, it is also because of the overhang of the history of the Second World War which still remains between the two countries," Wong said.

He noted that with the passage of time and passing of generations, the feelings over the history "are not the same and we have put the history aside. And we are moving forward."

He further noted that Southeast Asia has done so with Japan, while claiming that surveys showed "Japan is the number one trusted great power in Southeast Asia". 

"Singapore and all the Southeast Asian countries support Japan playing a bigger role in our region, including on the security front, because we think that provides for some stability in the region," Wong said. "I think on the Japanese side, they are clearly wanting to bring things down, to stabilize the relationship and not cause this to escalate further. And I hope China will feel the same way, and while there may be differences, the two countries can still get along and work together."

His remarks have drawn widespread criticism from Chinese media and netizens for weeks, and Singaporean opposition leader Goh Meng Seng from the People's Power Party also criticized Wong for interfering in major power disputes and urged him not to forget Japan's invasion of Singapore. 

"Japan is the one who created this trouble and it seems that PM Wong is saying China is not right to make a fuss over it," Goh wrote on Facebook. He slammed Wong is on the wrong side of history as well as public sentiments as it is not just a public relations disaster but "a total collapse from failed judgement and analysis of data and research findings." 

Many mainland media outlets and netizens argued that Wong's remarks are a disguised defense of Japan and that he is "taking sides" for Japan in the recent deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations.

However, Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao defends Wong with an article stating that some commentators are exaggerating certain parts of his remark and adding their own interpretations.

The article stated that Wong did not proactively comment on the China-Japan issue at the forum, but rather responded passively and said he avoided making harsh remarks about other countries' leaders.