Netizens are divided over Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishan’s latest comments on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Dr Balakrishnan said in an interview with Bloomberg Live that he hopes China will use its “enormous influence” on Russia to end the conflict.

Singapore was among the first countries to condemn Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine and has imposed sanctions on Russia. It is, so far, the only country in Asean that has expressed its support for Ukraine in such an unequivocal manner.

In an interview on Tuesday ahead of the Asean Business Summit, which began on Wednesday (Mar 16), Dr Balakrishnan told Haslinda Amin that China’s moves in the coming days and weeks will be key, especially when it comes to the future of the global economy.

“The big issue now is what decisions and actions China takes. If you get a deepening of the bifurcation of the global economy, of supply chains, of technology, this will be a very, very different world,” he said.

In a transcript of the interview which the Foreign Ministry released on Wednesday, Dr Balakrishnan said: “China has enormous influence on Russia =, both politically, economically and diplomatically….I hope they will would assert their influence ….with Chinese characteristics, by which means quietly, discreetly, but effectively. That’s a hope now. Whether this is wishful thinking on my part we’ll see over the next few days and weeks.”

Of Singapore’s stance toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the minister said, “We believe we are at an inflection point.”

He said: “Little Singapore is standing up for principles and expressing a hope for the rules of engagement for this new era.”

That “Little Singapore” mention seems to have prompted reactions from netiizens which the minister likely didn’t intend. These reactions come from Yahoo! Finance.