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SINGAPORE: Former deputy prime minister Wong Kan Seng said the Cambodian conflict which started in the late 1970s was an early test for Singapore and its foreign service.
Mr Wong was the Foreign Minister from 1988 to early 1994 when the Vietnam-Cambodia war came to an end.
Speaking at the S Rajaratnam lecture on Wednesday, Mr Wong highlighted five key lessons from the conflict.
Mr Wong said it showed the importance of being independent and self-reliant.
Singapore demonstrated to the world that in spite of its size it was prepared to defend its interests even when it was up against major powers like the US and China.
The decades-long conflict also made Singapore realise the necessity of being nimble and pragmatic.
Mr Wong said that Singapore had little choice but to pick up on the changing positions of various players and react accordingly.
He added that another important aspect of being pragmatic is to know when to step back and play a supporting role.
From the conflict, Singapore also gained a better understanding of the respective foreign policies and "modus operandi" of ASEAN members.
Mr Wong said: "Then-US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia, John Holdridge, had made good on his threat to Foreign Minister S Dhanabalan to take the matter up with then Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew as apparently going so far as to claim that there would be 'blood on the floor' if Singapore did not compromise.
"Mr Dhanabalan stood firm, and Mr Lee Kuan Yew even described Holdridge's behaviour as 'amateurish' to the US Senate."
In addition, Singapore also learnt how multilateral organisations functioned.
Mr Wong also said the Cambodian conflict also taught Singapore the significance of developing and honing an excellent foreign service.
He stressed that to ensure Singapore is well protected, it has to constantly cultivate its foreign service team with abilities such as staying focused on Singapore's interests and objectives.
- CNA/ck
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