Singapore Sees a ‘Tactical Pause’ in US, China Tensions (1)

Singapore’s top diplomat said US-China tensions seem to be in a “tactical pause” following a trade truce last month, warning of long-term partial decoupling if the economic giants fail to rebuild trust.

“The fundamental problem with the US and China is almost complete lack of strategic trust,” Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said Wednesday in an interview with Stephanie Flanders, Bloomberg’s head of economics and government, at the New Economy Forum in Singapore.

“What you’ve seen so far is not a strategic realignment,” he continued. “Both sides have decided they need time. They need a tactical pause.”

The remarks underscore ...