At the recent dialogue moderated by the editor-at-large of Forbes Media, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong emphasised the concept of trust (In an uncertain world, S'pore can be reliable, trusted node: DPM Wong, Sept 27).

He said that Singapore will do its part as a reliable and trusted node in the global order.

When geopolitics is shaping trade and investments, and global supply chains are being reconfigured, it is good that Singapore remains reliable and has the confidence and trust of businesses.

Singapore is also well known for being honest and straightforward in expressing its opinion on the world stage.

If a country wants to be trusted, it has to be honest.

Let us hope that America and China can be honest with each other so that mutual trust can develop. Trust is the basis of relationships. With trust, even silence is understood. Without trust, every word is misunderstood.

America and China can make mistakes in their policies but must never break trust.

Forgiving is easy, but forgetting and trusting again are sometimes impossible.

Do not trust countries which seek to dominate the United Nations.

The world would be a more peaceful place if we put our trust in countries which believe in and abide by the UN Charter, even when competition between countries gets intense.

Harry Ong Heng Poh