Singapore Diplomat: US-China Shifts to Fragile Stability — SkimNews
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- Xi Jinping made his first state visit to the United States in more than a decade during the September 23-25 summit, arriving in Washington DC where Trump and Melania waited at the tarmac to greet him and Peng Liyuan in what the source called a rare sight.
- Chan Heng Chee, Singapore's Ambassador At-Large and former envoy to the US for 16 years, argued that building rapport counts as a worthy outcome: "When you have a relationship, you can make a deal, solve problems."
- Chan predicted "The Chinese will miss Trump when he's gone," noting that Trump, serving his last term in office, had taken risks in reaching out to a rival.
- Critics dismissed the summit as heavy on symbolism and lacking in substance, but Chan said the stabilization, though fragile, will benefit the region.
- Chan framed the stakes for South-east Asia directly: "We do not want to be third-party collateral" between the two great powers.
- The podcast episode also flagged that the proposed frameworks "Pax Silica" and "Pax Waico" will not be watertight, and explored whether Democrats winning midterms could constrain Trump going forward.
Why it matters: Chan's framing reframes the summit's value away from concrete deliverables and toward leader-to-leader rapport, with South-east Asian states explicitly seeking to avoid being collateral damage in US-China rivalry. Her verdict of "fragile stability" means any reversal in tone between Washington and Beijing would directly heighten strategic pressure on ASEAN.
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