Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong issued a stark warning about the long-term implications of foreign military interventions during Thursday's Regional Outlook Forum 2026, highlighting concerns particularly relevant to smaller nations in Asia and beyond.
Speaking at the annual geopolitical conference, Lee emphasized that the United States' ongoing military involvement in Venezuela creates dangerous precedents: "From the point of view of a small country, if that is the way the world works, we have a problem." The veteran statesman stressed that such actions violate both international law and the UN Charter.
The remarks come as Asian nations increasingly debate how to navigate great power competition. Analysts suggest Singapore's position reflects broader regional anxieties about sovereignty norms, particularly given recent tensions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.
"Our foreign policy has always been based on the principle that all countries, big and small, should respect international law," Lee told forum attendees, reaffirming Singapore's longstanding non-aligned stance. The comments carry particular weight given Singapore's role as a financial hub and diplomatic bridge between East and West.
