Why does Lee Kuan Yew say that Singapore's return to the motherland is an unrealistic fantasy?

Let me talk about my personal opinion.

Lee Kuan Yew thinks it is a fantasy to return to China, because he has seen the country thoroughly, and Singapore's geographical location and surrounding environment make it impossible to return.

First of all, Singapore is strategically located and a battleground for military strategists.

With the advent of the era of great navigation, the global connection is getting closer and closer. The ocean, which occupies more than 70% of the global surface area, has become the only place where continents are connected. But the ocean is not flat and vast, and there are islands and peninsulas, which together constitute some very important waterways.

Controlling sea lanes has become an inevitable choice for global powers since the era of great navigation. Unfortunately, Singapore is located on the east side of the Straits of Malacca, which is a very important waterway. Its superior geographical position makes the maritime powers from south to north eyeing the place. They exceptionally exclude new forces from entering the area and do not allow uncontrolled forces to appear there.

Therefore, it is impossible for Singapore to choose to return, and countries such as the United States and Japan will never allow this to happen.

Secondly, the surrounding environment

Singapore is located in Southeast Asia and does not belong to the same ethnic group as neighboring countries. The establishment of Singapore inevitably needs the support of neighboring countries, otherwise even the basic life cannot be guaranteed. At that time, Southeast Asia was influenced by the West and tended to the West, so it was difficult for Singapore to go its own way without considering the surrounding environment.

If you don't think about it, the result will be heavy.

Finally, Singapore can't get strong support.

In addition to the reasons mentioned above, there is another one that Lee Kuan Yew has to consider. Singapore is too far away from the motherland, and it is impossible for the motherland with very weak maritime power to provide support for Singapore. Without the support of external forces, Singapore cannot survive overseas alone.

From the later development, Singapore has been following the footsteps of the world hegemon. With the support of the United States, it has been developing until now. It has also become one of the four little dragons in Asia and entered the ranks of high-income countries.

To sum up, Lee Kuan Yew's statement is very practical and is a judgment made after careful consideration of his own situation.