We will not allow a single issue to hijack longstanding wide ranging relationship, he says.
On the China relationship, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said that close friends will inevitably have disagreements on some issues over time.
"If you are truly close, there will be things you disagree about from time to time," he said in response to a question about recent frictions in the Singapore-China relationship.
"Fortunately or unfortunately for Singapore, we are very transparent, we call a spade a spade. It doesn't mean we are shifting our position or deliberately trying to poke people in the eye."
On an issue like the South China Sea, Singapore's own circumstances and history inform its position on the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight, and of international mechanisms to resolve disputes, he said.
Asked about the recent seizure of Singapore Armed Forces terrex vehicles in Hong Kong, Mr Balakrishnan said: "I wouldn't overreact to that...we expect commercial providers of services to strictly comply with the law."
On the China relationship, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said that close friends will inevitably have disagreements on some issues over time.
"If you are truly close, there will be things you disagree about from time to time," he said in response to a question about recent frictions in the Singapore-China relationship.
"Fortunately or unfortunately for Singapore, we are very transparent, we call a spade a spade. It doesn't mean we are shifting our position or deliberately trying to poke people in the eye."
On an issue like the South China Sea, Singapore's own circumstances and history inform its position on the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight, and of international mechanisms to resolve disputes, he said.
Asked about the recent seizure of Singapore Armed Forces terrex vehicles in Hong Kong, Mr Balakrishnan said: "I wouldn't overreact to that...we expect commercial providers of services to strictly comply with the law."
