Singapore and the 1996 Taiwan Crisis

I am ashamed to say that I didn't know that the following took place during China's military intimidation of Taiwan during the 1996 cross-strait crisis.

According to the late Michael Leifer in an article titled "Taiwan and Southeast Asia", Singapore was the only regional voice willing to urge caution on the government in Beijing through a public statement by Lee Kuan Yew.

Leifer added: "Ironically, two Singaporean naval vessels had dropped anchor in the port of Kaohsiung in early March 1996 after exercises with the Taiwanese navy concurrently with China's acts of intimidation."

So come hell or high water from the Taiwan Strait, it was, well, business as usual when it comes to Singapore-Taiwan joint exercises.