Skip to main content

从洗黑钱到英伟达晶片:新加坡如何摆脱「方便他人」的困境?还是根本控制不了,只好装聋作哑?

 

从洗黑钱到英伟达晶片:新加坡如何摆脱「方便他人」的困境?还是根本控制不了,只好装聋作哑?



新加坡的困境,从来不是不够方便,而是太方便了。

作为全球贸易与金融的十字路口,新加坡长期以高效、开放、低摩擦的营商环境作为立国优势。资金可以迅速流动,货物可以高效转运,企业可以轻易接轨国际市场。这种便利,造就了新加坡的竞争力,也让它成为全球资本与技术流动的重要枢纽。

然而,问题恰恰出在这里。

当便利成为竞争优势,监管就可能成为必须权衡的成本。无论是黑钱流入、可疑资金交易,还是英伟达晶片等敏感技术经由新加坡转运,背后都指向同一个问题:一个高度开放的国际枢纽,究竟应该如何在维持经济竞争力的同时,防止自己被他人利用?

说到底,方便的好处太多了。它带来资金、投资、就业机会、税收,也让新加坡得以维持与国际市场的紧密联系。至于资金最终流向哪里、技术最终落入谁的手中,往往涉及境外的交易网络与地缘政治,新加坡未必有能力完全掌握,更不可能控制所有环节。

但这并不意味着本地监管无能为力。

真正值得质疑的,是当经济利益与监管责任发生冲突时,政府究竟愿意把监管做到什么程度?是主动堵塞漏洞、提高审查门槛,还是只要资金和生意能够带来经济效益,就尽量维持现有的便利,直到问题曝光、国际压力出现,才亡羊补牢?

从洗黑钱到晶片转运,看似是两种不同性质的问题,实际上却有一个共同点:新加坡可能在不知不觉中,成为别人规避监管、转移风险,甚至绕过国际限制的中间站。

小红点的尴尬也正在这里。作为一个高度依赖国际贸易与金融的小国,新加坡当然有自身的现实限制。它既不能轻易得罪主要经济伙伴,也无法单方面改变国际资本和科技供应链的运行方式。但理解小国的生存之道,不等于所有事情都可以用「身不由己」来解释。

烟害问题不也是如此吗?许多风险早已存在,问题也并非完全无法预见,只是在经济利益、产业发展与公共责任之间,往往要等到代价逐渐浮现,才真正引起重视。

对小国而言,懂得审时度势固然是生存之道;但如果凡事都以现实限制为理由,凡事都等到出事才处理,那么所谓的灵活,就可能变成选择性失明。

黑钱也好,晶片也罢,问题最终不是新加坡能不能控制全世界,而是能不能管好自己可以管的部分。

小国固然不能事事做主,但至少不能让自己成为别人利用的方便之门。否则,所谓的国际枢纽,最后可能只剩下一个角色:平时享受便利带来的利益,出事以后才扮演事后孔明。



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sub-standard PAP and the Singapore education system

I make a 'policy shift' when I hear the debate of right politics, constructive politics and sub-standard opposition. My original aim is to discuss about “Su Dongbo, Zhang Juzheng and Singapore education system”. The discussion will end with a sub-standard PAP, in particular from the assessment of the quality of PAP potential candidates. Another policy shift is to discuss it like a play, a drama and make it more entertainment rather than a sub-standard political discussion. Act 1 Gangster’s demand Imagine a sense in the Hong Kong's gangster movie (or a godfather movie), the gangsters' master is shouting at his poor opponent and demand him to give a price for his wrong act. The poor guy without any resources can only offer his body or his service to work for the master. Back in his own chamber, the master is still not satisfied and continues to shout 'don't play, play, you think you are hero, you think you are tiger, or superstar or acting ...

Is Prism Project Another Central Planning of the PAP?

There are 3 scenarios under the Prism Project#1 of Institute of Public Policy.  However, it looks more like the central scenario planning of the People’s Action Party. From the instructional menu of Prism Project Primer #2, participants were guided to a situation in 2022 and they have to imagine, within the Primer framework, to come out with 3 possible scenarios in Jun-Aug 2012.  2022. What a coincidence! Not long ago, PM Lee declared that he would like to hold the prime minister post for another 10 years. The other coincidence is the similarity between the 3 scenarios and the candidates of PE2011. How competitive and sustainable are the 3 scenarios to the people of Singapore and to the PAP?   Will the scenarios produce competitive and sustainable Singapore, Singaporeans or the PAP?  Perhaps, as what the Chinese say: planning cannot always catch up with changes.   And planning sometimes turns out the wrong, bad and unexpected results, espec...

EBRC objectives: Stop “Out of Aljunied”, Stop SDP Breakthrough and “Negative-Asset” Ministers.

First of all, we have to congratulate the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee for creating more competitions, especially, multi-cornered competitions in the East. When making changes, EBRC aims to achieve 3 goals: To prevent “Out of Aljunied” for Workers’ Party.  This is the most important objective. To prevent Singapore Democratic Party making any breakthrough in the North and Central.   To look for a solution to retire “negative-asset” ministers or reduce PAP damages. From the reported claims from different political parties, we will expect multi-cornered contests not only in single constituencies but also in group representative constituencies. The PAP hopes to have a repeat of 2011 Presidential Election. Then Tony Tan won the Presidency when he got only 35% of the votes, a narrow win.However, a win is still a win. He did in even in the very last minute, after recounts of votes.    How to achieve multi-cornered contests? By i...