Why Do S’poreans Look Down On China? | Future China

新加坡人为何轻视中国

Ho Kwon ing, Banyan Tree's founder, says S'poreans still look down on China and that the US is indispensable to Asean only militarily. On AI, the threat of one dominant superpower scares him more than rogue machines.

悦榕庄创始人何光平称，新加坡人依旧存在轻视中国的心态；而美国对东盟而言，仅在军事层面不可或缺。谈及人工智能，比起失控机器，他更忌惮由单一超级大国一家独大带来的威胁。

新加坡外交部的外交策略拿捏得当，不做美国条约盟友，保持中立平衡。但民间、不少精英群体，包括很多新加坡的年轻人，骨子里崇尚西方、推崇美国，下意识轻视中国，对中国以及中国年轻人的想法缺少理解。

李光耀当年就提出，新加坡需要培养一批真正读懂中国、共情中国人想法的本土文化精英。如今新加坡公职体系里很多优秀人才都去哈佛肯尼迪学院进修，长期浸染西方价值观；加上新加坡属于英语社会，接收的文化信息大多来自英美，进一步加深了这种偏向西方的思维定式。

如果中美双方都掌握 AI 武器，会形成类似核武器的 “相互确保摧毁” 的制衡局面，反而带来稳定；相比多个力量互相制衡，单一国家垄断 AI 霸权才更加危险。中国正在搭建独立的 AI 体系，不会任由美国 AI 独霸。

以下是各国网友的评论：

channel-xo
You ask who are the elites in Singapore who are pro west and pro America? It is none other than Lawrence Wong.

你问新加坡哪些精英亲西方、亲美？不是别人，正是黄循财。

 

lv9657
Singaporean looks down on China? If yes it reflects how low their mentality is as a fellow human being. What Singaporean have to think they are a class above ? Even a non superpower country like Malaysia, if they shutdown the tap, Singaporean will

新加坡人看不起中国？要是真的，只能说他们格局很小。新加坡人凭什么觉得自己高人一等？就算马来西亚这种不是超级大国的国家，只要关掉供水，新加坡人就麻烦了。

 

Kola833
Stop exporting syndicate criminals scammers vices for SG and International Countries to respect your country

别再向外输出犯罪团伙、诈骗分子和各类恶行，新加坡以及其他国家才会尊重你们国家。

 

LuvAniT.4t
US troops are not welcome here.don't even find them trustable. why do we even trust they could protect SG when we are outsiders?
I don't disagree Singaporeans (in general) still look down on China , look at how people cracked nasty jokes each time they appeared in news.
I wish LKY still here..

thank you Mr Ho, you provided great insights!

本地并不欢迎美军，根本没法信任他们。我们只是外人，凭什么相信他们会保护新加坡？

我不否认，大部分新加坡人还是看不起中国。你看每次新闻里出现相关内容，总有人拿难听的段子调侃。真希望李光耀还在。

 

donaldjoseph3903
Mr Ho makes his money in China. He is Street smart. He knows how to say the "right" things..

何先生在中国赚钱，很懂得人情世故，知道该说哪些讨巧的话。

 

appl2597
I always learn so much listening to him talk. He is truly a Singapore treasure.

听他讲话总能学到很多东西，他真的是新加坡的宝贵人才。

 

ExclamationMark8
Thanks for having Ho Kwon ing on the podcast. Conversations with him are always illuminating. Our leaders would do well to heed the counsel of such a well-read, thoughtful, and worldly voice; one whose depth of knowledge and breadth of experience offer much wisdom to draw upon.

感谢邀请何光平。和他对话总能让人深受启发。我们的领导人应该多听听这种博览群书、善于思考、见识广博之人的看法。他学识深厚、阅历丰富，有很多值得借鉴的智慧。

 

kambocha0101
Absolutely spot on KP! The big AI companies by crying wolf want to create a duopoly and raise barriers to entry. And yes many of us Singaporeans need really to reset our minds or at least be more mindful to be less instinctively “western “ in our biases and outlook.

说得太对了，光平！那些大型AI企业故意危言耸听，就是想搞双头垄断，抬高行业准入门槛。确实，很多新加坡人需要转变想法，至少要多留意，别下意识带着偏向西方的偏见看事情。

 

KennethLim-hp9vo
you guys got outclassed by the gandpa. never prepare ah

你们这帮人被这位老前辈比下去了，都没提前准备好吗

 

smarttravel8839
Ai. If you understand the OS between Micrawsoft and linux, you know which gives you peace of mind from security to productivity. Ai is like a knife, if the person use it as a chef, you get delicious steak and if the person use it as a robber, you know you are in trouble. There are jobs if Ai is used in more productive area just like electricity.

As for the subject of US you people discussed, sum it in one sentence: Hollywood effect starting to wearing off !

说到AI，如果你懂微软系统和Linux系统的差别，就知道哪一个在安全和效率上更让人安心。AI就像一把刀，厨师拿来用，可以做出美味牛排；歹徒拿来用，就会带来危险。就像电力一样，把AI用在高效生产领域，还会催生新岗位。

至于大家讨论的美国，一句话总结：好莱坞带来的滤镜，正在慢慢失效！

 

yuanchenli1901
Singapore’s defense strategy relies on supply diversification and local innovation to avoid dependence on any single power.While the Republic of Singapore Air Force primarily operates advanced U.S. fighters like the F-15SG, F-16, and F-35, other branches draw from varied international partners and robust domestic manufacturing. The Navy deploys German-built Type 218SG submarines and French-designed Formidable-class frigates. Meanwhile, the Army features highly capable indigenous systems developed by ST Engineering, such as the Hunter AFV, Terrex, and SAR-21 rifle, alongside German Leopard 2SG tanks.
By integrating global hardware with proprietary C4I technology, Singapore secures strategic autonomy and supply chain resilience.

新加坡的国防策略依靠供应多元化和本土创新，避免单一大国依赖。新加坡空军主力是美国先进战机，包括F-15SG、F-16、F-35；其他军种装备来自多个国家，本土制造能力也很强。海军装备德国造的218SG型潜艇、法国设计的可畏级护卫舰。陆军除了德国豹2SG坦克，还有新科工程自研的多款精良装备，比如猎人步兵战车、特雷克斯装甲车、SAR-21步枪。

新加坡把各国硬件和自研C4I指挥通信技术结合起来，以此保障战略自主和供应链稳定。

 

andriankristalioe5635
padahal amerika dan inggris tdk pernah men anggap warga singapore dan malaysia bagian dr barat ,menyedihkan hahahaha

可是美国和英国从来没把新加坡、马来西亚人当成西方的一份子，挺让人唏嘘的，哈哈哈

 

Buttercookies0
Fyi..Singaporeans and Malaysians have never expected America and England to think they are a part of the West. It is all in your China's mindset.

跟你说一下，新加坡人和马来西亚人从来没指望美英把我们算作西方。这只是你们中国人自己的想法。

 

channel-xo
Lawrence Wong and Singapore govt talked down to China, giving advise when none was asked, to forgive and forget about Japan's violence and killings in WW2.

And also telling China to abide by the kangaroo court on the South China Sea.
And making a big fuss just because some Chinese netizens say Singapore is turning into indiapore.
But Lawrence dare not utter a whimper to Probowo about the indon haze, only meekly mentioning the companies.

黄循财以及新加坡政府总是居高临下对待中国，人家没请教，还主动劝中国谅解、淡忘二战期间日本的屠杀。还要求中国遵守南海那个不公正的仲裁庭裁决。

就因为一些中国网友说新加坡快变成“印尼坡”，他们就大肆炒作。可面对印尼烟霾问题，黄循财不敢跟普拉博沃说一句重话，只敢委婉提一下涉事企业。

 

Kola833
It is the corporates setting the fire on the land, why would you expect PM LW to quarrel with Mr Probowo who is ordering the fire to be put out?What about the Great Leap Forward & Cultural Revolution death of millions of Chinese?Their death is deserving and innocuous?

放火烧林的是企业，凭什么要求黄总理去和下令灭火的普拉博沃争执？那和期间数百万离世的中国人又怎么说？难道他们的逝去就理所应当、不值一提吗？

 

hongqi5734
First talk about what your Japanese fathers did to the Chinese in China and Southeast Asia if you really care about what happened in China.

如果你真的在意过往的历史，先说说你们口中的日本先辈，当年在中国和东南亚犯下的罪行。

 

iamporter1137
Only idiots look down on people especially China. Singaporeans think too highly of themselves. So naive.

只有傻瓜才会看不起别人，尤其是傻瓜才会看不起中国。新加坡人太把自己当回事，想法太天真。

 

wl1989
first! but i disagree, not every one looks down on China.

沙发！但我不认同，不是所有人都看不起中国。

 

winsonhan2187
The angmo sai certainly do lo.

那些洋人肯定是这样的。

 

agymayachelonia8381
Guess it depends where your values lie.

这要看一个人的价值观偏向哪边。

 

channel-xo
What a joke. The host was gleefully mentioning Trump as the one who brokered the peace between Thailand and Cambodia but was immediately smacked down by the guest.
Little did his western wired brain know that eventually it was China who was the hand behind the scene when both countries signed the ceasefire in front of Wang Yi in Beiing.

真是可笑。主持人兴冲冲地说，是特朗普促成泰柬和解，结果当场就被嘉宾反驳。

他满脑子都是西方那套逻辑，根本不知道，两国在北京、当着王毅的面签署停火协议，背后出力的其实是中国。

 

ckwong1533
Singaporean learned English earlier than China. Singapore is so proud of their Singlish.
Unfortunately, now English speaking world start to get poorer relative to China. This trend shall accelerate as China now is get more competitive in EV, battery, telecommunications technology, and catching up in AI and education. Heavily invest in research and military technology. Eventually, through innovation and advanced military technology, China will become very rich and cannot be bullied as before by western countries. Singapore will be moved into its rightful place and not so cocky as before.

新加坡比中国更早普及英语，还一直为新加坡式英语引以为傲。

可现在，英语世界相对中国，优势在不断缩小。中国在电动车、电池、通信技术上竞争力越来越强，AI、教育领域也在快速追赶，还大力投入科研和军工。最终依靠创新和先进军工，中国会变得富强，不再像以前那样任由西方欺负。新加坡也会认清自己的位置，不会再像从前那样自大。

 

cowscomehome01
I disagree on his viewpoint about AI. Nuclear weapons dont detonate themselves, and electricity doesnt enable without humans using it to build stuff. But AI can have agency, AI can do things on its own, the American AI can find ways to talk to the Chinese AI without anyone knowing it. AI is fundamentally different, the old logic doesnt hold..

我不认同他对AI的看法。核武器不会自己引爆，电力也需要人来利用才能发挥作用。但AI拥有自主能力，可以自行行动。美国的AI甚至能瞒着所有人，和中国的AI建立沟通。AI本质上不一样，老一套道理在这里行不通。

 

matthewhon6594
Actually, I think the gov is quite balanced. You don’t have to study in China to understand them. We have plenty of Chinese students in Uni and at the workplace (esp in the engineering and tech) and we study and work together in Singapore.

The guest social circle is probably very Anglo-centric …that’s why he has formed this opinion

其实我觉得新加坡政府立场还算均衡。想要了解中国，不一定非要去中国读书。新加坡本地大学、职场里有很多华人，尤其工程、科技行业，我们一起学习共事。
这位嘉宾的社交圈大概率偏向英美体系，所以才会形成这样的看法。

 

SereneSoh-x9d
I admire president  and admire chin national who are very hardworking people ...but i also like to ack china's products rather focus on quantities not qualities

我敬佩中国 主席，也敬佩勤劳的中国人民。但我觉得，中国产品过去更看重产量，对品质不够重视。

 

johnttt49
Gen Z usually looks down on those who speak Chinese, branding them a level below

Z世代很多人会看不起讲中文的人，觉得他们低人一等。

 

malita354
Sgreans are not spoonfed whether Haze can be Weaponised. Ignorance is bliss. But maybe it's because my standard is higher

没人主动告诉新加坡人烟霾可以当成一种手段。无知也是一种福气，不过可能是我要求比较高。

 

haiwattage
Shou Chew should have something to say about how Americans view Singaporeans hahahahaha

周受资应该很清楚美国人是怎么看待新加坡人的，哈哈哈

 

stevey9282
Don’t forget - total dependence on one superpower on their military supplies, like uaaassssss, if countries found against them, there high chances, there’s a “kill switch” or rather, chips in the military supplies that’ll just stop working with a single control, just like the recent phone explosion in Iran mobile phone which the evil Israel had secretly planted!

别忘了，如果军工装备完全依赖某一个超级大国，比如美国。一旦和对方立场对立，装备里很可能藏着“终止开关”，远程一键就能让设备瘫痪。就像近期伊朗手机爆炸事件，是阴险的以色列提前埋了手脚！