The United States still plays an irreplaceable role in ensuring peace and stability in Asia, but most Asian countries prefer not to choose sides, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at a regional annual conference in Tokyo, Japan.
At the “Future of Asia” conference organized by Nikkei and the Japan Center for Economic Research on May 26, Lee’s speech focused on regional security and economic cooperation.
In his speech, Lee said he believes that the United States is pivotal to regional security in Asia.
Since the end of World War II, the United States “has provided the framework for peace and stability,” Lee said. “Even as the strategic balance shifts, the U.S. still retains this essential role, which no other country can take over.”…