Accept China as competitor, US told

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – Singapore on Thursday asked the U.S. and China to work out a new model of constructive cooperation for the sake of a stable global order.

Addressing 25th “Nikkei Future of Asia” conference, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, called on Washington to recognize Beijing as its competitor.

“Both countries must rebuild trust in their relationship. This is the most important bilateral relationship that is key to continued peace and prosperity both in Asia and the world,” Channel News Asia quoted Heng as saying.

He also reminded that for any sustainable relationship, there has to be some give-and-take from both sides.

Both countries are engaged in a bitter trade war. The U.S. has also banned its companies from businesses with Chinese tech-giant Huawei.

“U.S. needs to adjust and recognize that while China is a competitor, it is also a valuable partner, which can share the responsibility of providing international public goods,” Heng said.

"Both sides must make an effort to avoid escalation by managing their domestic politics. Each party needs to understand the domestic constraints and red lines of the other side for negotiations to be constructive.”

Singapore deputy prime minister added that Washington has to “accept that it has no better option but to work with China, because trying to contain it will result in worse outcomes”.

He also told China to understand that its increased strategic and economic stature must match with greater international responsibility.

He described China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) a positive step in this direction.

Earlier Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told the conference that his country will not abandon the use of Huawei technology.

He termed trade war stupid, which does not serve any purpose and only disturbs economic progress.

Quoting Mahathir, Bernama news agency reported that the world must accept the fact that Chinese have become very rich and are using their money to enhance their position.

“Yes, China is exporting a lot but you were threatened by China when it’s poor, you're also threatened by China when it is rich. What should they do? They cannot be in between,” the Malaysian premier said.

“If you remember once European nations were very powerful and they conquered the rest of the world. China is yet to conquer us. We have been trading with them for past 2,000 years,” he said.