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PM Lawrence Wong on Japan-China tensions



PM Lawrence Wong on Japan-China tensions

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he hopes China and Japan will find ways to resolve their issues and move forward, adding that “Southeast Asia has done that with Japan as far as the history is concerned”.

“It has taken some time, but with the passage of time, with the passing of generations, the feelings are not the same, and we have put the history aside and we are moving forward,” he said.

Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2025 on Wednesday (Nov 19), Mr Wong added that Singapore and all the Southeast Asian countries support Japan playing a bigger role in the region. #singapore #sgnews #china #japan

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View 41 Comments

41 Comments

  2. @cherylyau2551 on

    Don’t act like being too smart. Speak for yourself not the people of South East Asia. We will not forgive and forget what Japan has done. But of course we have to move on with our life.

  5. @mll5530 on

    Lawrence Wong should recall what Plato had said: “wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something”.
    And, I do not know why he must side with Japan and also appears to speak for SEA.
    I disagree with him in this, and I do not find him a wise person this time.

  6. @jiangxiaoyu-love on

    SG PM, your public statements concerning the escalating tension between China and Japan require greater sensitivity. You have made 3 huge mistakes!

    I disagreed that we should put the history aside and moving forward. This is so wrong. History's primary lesson is that past mistakes must never be repeated, especially in matters of regional security. That why SAF was formed.

    The Japanese military forces are designed for defensive purposes; however, it is wrong to encourage Japan to extend its security role beyond its borders. The Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) are legally intended only to protect Japan itself, not to serve as a security guarantor for the entire Asian region.

    Furthermore, your position appears dangerously inconsistent. You claim to uphold the 'One China' policy, which acknowledges Beijing’s stance on Taiwan. Yet, you simultaneously support Japan’s military involvement if China were to attempt unification with Taiwan by force. This policy shift is fundamentally contradictory and undermines regional stability. Interference in the Taiwan Strait is viewed as a violation of sovereignty and significantly increases the risk of a major conflict.

  11. @ThanosThiopia on

    A non sense Prime Minister with no emotional intelligence and does not understand the deep deficit of trust between China and Japan. He is speaking of Singapore letting go!! Did Singapore experience that same level of crimes committed by Japan during the 14 years war and occupation of China where 35 million civil and military lost their lives? Ignorant !
    For things to calm down, Takaichi just have to retract , is this so hard? Why don’t you pressure Takaichi to retract instead of deforming facts and trying to make China the culprit?? We are watching you like your idiotic foreign minister VB who said after the start of Ukraine war that China can stop Russia to continue the war. They both learn diplomacy from Time and WSJ 😂.
    LW is showing what Singapore is and on what it is built: an extractive economy for all its South East Asian neighbors sucking up all the wealth generated there to bring it in the Singapore banks.

  12. @lisad3764 on

    So you think "passage of time, and passing of generations" will make the Chinese nation forget the brutality, inhumane and murderous actions by the Japanese, resulting in the deaths of 30+ MILLIONS Chinese people?! I'm glad you are NOT the leader of China! This atrocious episode of history inflicted by Japan will NEVER be forgotten and can not be forgiven. Besides, the latest storm has been created by the new Japanese PM, China is only responding.
    You really should study history again. You definitely do not speak for or represent SE Asian.

  16. @brianchen7673 on

    If you were raped one time you hated it but if you were raped many times by the same guy then you would turn out to appreciate that you were being raped. Wong’s mentality is shockingly shameful!

  18. @boontan6636 on

    Our late Mt Lee Kuan Yew did not criticise any President personally. He criticised the way of America law, administration and culture but never did he personalise any American president per se. Wake up ! Be diplomatic! We are small!

  22. @marvintan8452 on

    Japanese soldiers had killed 10s of millions of Chinese during WWII. The magnitude is far greater than ASEAN countries. 未经他人苦 莫劝他人善, we shouldn’t make any comment or try to be peacemaker…

  23. @garylambertt on

    Mr PM Lawrence Wong , please do not damage our friendship with CHINA , all our Chinese roots are from main land , look at their people defence force , their weapons are very very advance and they sent the soldiers in middle east to learn how they fight the war and noted into their doctrine for future learning, please acknowledge what the suffering and dead people.

  28. @Am-mo2iq on

    In Feb/March 1942, the occupying Japanese army massacre about 40,000 to 50,000 civilians at Changi beach – mostly Chinese. This event was referred to as Sook Ching. But most young Singaporeans are not aware of this Japanese atrocity, because the Government of Singapore, has all along, has chosen to downplay this atrocity, by almost never referring to it since the founding of the Republic of Singapore (that's why most Singaporeans under 40 are not aware of this Japanese atrocity to their Chinese people).

  31. @chickenbellyful on

    Takaichi needs to step down or apologise, period. I’m a Singaporean millennial who likes modern day Japan but knows what she said was not sensitive or rational, given the past history of Sino-Japanese war. Expansion of military is a threat. Japan, or even Singapore, has no business getting involved with the China-Taiwan tension.

  32. @ibunyamin on

    Mrr. Wong’s arrogant words and mannerism claiming he speaks on behalf of SEA and to lecture China to move on and calm it down will make the great LKY roll in the grave. LKY knew very well about “know your place”

  33. @pangshingku9046 on

    We can never forgive the evil country that has shown no sign of regret to what it had done. I am quite shocked to know you trust this country. Just for money you can forget everything?

  34. @ColdSplash on

    you forgot Japan sparked this by provoking China. Japan did not provoke SE Asia and it is easy for you to say that. But looks like this PM need to learn a bit more from the history and WHY Japan provokes China.

  35. @bluemarlin2u on

    Wong is a buffoon. He may speak for Singapore for wanting Japan to play a bigger role in the ASEAN region. He doesn't speak for other countries. Bootlicking Japan seems to be his forte. In comparison with the statesmanship and political wisdom shown by his predecessors, he's clearly unfit for the current office he holds.