The trade war between the world's two largest economies is also creating concerns for South East Asia. Our reporter Dan Williams sat down with Ambassador-at-Large with Singapore's Foreign Ministry, Chan Heng Chee, to find out how the country sees the current trade tensions.

DAN WILLIAMS CGTN REPORTER "The US-China trade dispute has dominated world headlines. How, in Singapore, do you view the trade tensions between these two countries?"

CHAN HENG CHEE SINGAPORE AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE "You know, for us in Asia and Singapore, the U.S. China relationship is the most important relationship in the 21st century. We all watched this very carefully. And of course, we are concerned with the deteriorating trade relationship. President Trump came in as a president who would promote America First. I think by saying America First, he means he is more internally oriented, more concerned internally, and that he would look after the Americans. But he would be interested in intervention but selective intervention. So it is a different America. And an America in the past, 70 years, we've seen the United States offer global leadership. There has been some change in the body politic of the United States. We saw President Obama beginning with a bit of the withdrawal of global leadership, a hesitation to leadership. And now President Trump is now more focused domestically."

DAN WILLIAMS CGTN REPORTER "How are you concerned that this could spill over into much more than just a trade dispute?"

CHAN HENG CHEE SINGAPORE AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE "Well since coming to the United States, I see people using the word 'cold war' at the drop of a hat here and there. More moderate, more circumspect academics would use the word, we are at an infliction point, the relationship is entering into unchartered territory and maybe this is a tipping point. I think that is about it. The United States/US-China relationship since 1972, since the Shanghai communicate has been a fairly stable relationship. We saw the opening up of China. The United States and China worked. And I think the region prospered."

DAN WILLIAMS CGTN REPORTER "In terms of trade between China and Singapore, where do you hope that partnership will develop in the future?"

CHAN HENG CHEE SINGAPORE AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE "Well I think countries in the region and Singapore are very pleased and happy that China is growing. Because we grow with China. Good economic growth in China is good for the region. It has a way of spilling over. We want to keep free trade, the free trade message going, and I think we can still do a lot of business."