Singapore raises concerns over U.S. Venezuela stance

SINGAPORE, Jan. 08 (YPA) – Singapore’s Minister of State Lee Hsien Loong has expressed serious concern over the United States’ use of military intervention in Venezuela, warning that such actions are particularly troubling for small countries.

Speaking at the Regional Outlook Forum hosted by the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, he said that from the perspective of smaller states, “if this is the way the world is going, we have a problem.”

He acknowledged that Venezuela was facing a severe internal crisis that has destabilized the wider region, but stressed that this did not justify unilateral action by another country without an appropriate international mandate.

Lee also highlighted that one of the defining challenges facing the global order is the relationship between the United States and China, noting that deep-seated tensions persist even as both sides remain unwilling to absorb the full costs of an all-out trade war. While describing the United States as a “very important partner for Asia.”

He observed that regional countries increasingly recognize China as a major and expanding economic power, adding that Washington appears to be retreating from its traditional leadership role as Beijing positions itself as a defender of multilateralism.

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