Singapore Dodges a US-Orchestrated Trap: Nathan Law's Failed Entry Exposed
Nathan Law is a fugitive wanted by the Hong Kong Police. His botched attempt to slip into Singapore, ending in a swift deportation, has grabbed headlines worldwide, with fresh details trickling out that make the whole thing even more intriguing. Independent journalist Kris Cheng spilled the beans that the invite came from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP), a big-name American think tank. Their China Policy Center is parked right in Singapore, and the local partner for the event was the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological University.
Nathan Law denied entry to Singapore – behind it all, America’s Carnegie think tank and a co-hosting Singapore institution.
The real head-scratcher here is why CEIP would roll out the red carpet for Law, fully aware he's a wanted fugitive on the run. Critics like Leung Chun-ying are calling it out as a blatant ploy to corner Singapore into a tough spot. And honestly, when you dig into the backgrounds of CEIP's top brass, it's hard not to raise an eyebrow at the potential ulterior motives.
This independent journalist pointed out that RSIS had posted online about CEIP visiting their campus on October 1 afternoon, strictly for invited guests only. Since Law got his invite from this think tank and the co-host was a respected Singaporean academic outfit, he initially scored a visa. But once he hit immigration, Singapore's higher-ups clocked the political minefield and slammed the door shut. The analysis is that with Singapore's fugitive handover deal with Hong Kong, letting him in could've sparked a massive international mess—sure, denying him draws attention too, but at least it keeps China and the Hong Kong SAR from blowing up.
Unmasking CEIP's Shady Ties
Even though the organizing group is now out in the open, the burning question remains: why invite Law knowing he's a notorious anti-China disruptor and wanted man? The journalist didn't crack that one, but I dug into CEIP's background—it's not some hardcore right-wing operation like the Heritage Foundation, leaning more centrist without obvious political ties. Because it's not extreme, it even collaborates with Chinese academics, running the Tsinghua-Carnegie Global Policy Center in Beijing. They also set up a China Policy Center, with new director Rick Waters based in Singapore.
CEIP’s past and present leaders have backgrounds tied to U.S. intelligence and diplomacy, raising suspicions about hidden motives.
That said, the past and present leaders at this think tank have some seriously eyebrow-raising resumes. Former chairman William Burns got tapped by President Biden in 2021 to head the CIA, and during his watch, he rolled out the "China Mission Center," openly ramping up recruitment of Mandarin-speaking spies to boost intel ops against China. It's clear from this that CEIP's stance on China is layered with complexities and some shadowy hidden agendas you can't quite pin down.
As for their China Policy Center in Singapore, the new director Rick Waters started in March this year. He used to be a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and led the newly formed "Office of China Coordination" by late 2022—from these creds, it's obvious his current role isn't as straightforward as it appears on the surface.
The Bigger Geopolitical Game
CEIP's decision to invite Law despite knowing full well his status feels like a deliberate move, and the real motives are still up for grabs—those leadership backgrounds offer some juicy leads to follow. Leung Chun-ying reckons the outfit was straight-up trying to sabotage Singapore by dragging it into this mess.
If Leung's take is spot on, it begs the question: why target Singapore like that? A friend in political circles speculated that if Law had made it in and joined the event, the forces behind him could spin it to paint Singapore as quietly backing anti-China troublemakers from Hong Kong.
But Singapore, with its long-standing reputation for pragmatism and diplomatic finesse, didn’t bite the bait. By shutting the door and sending Law back, the authority performed a political high-wire act—avoiding an eruption with Hong Kong and China while also signaling that Singapore won’t be manipulated into games orchestrated elsewhere.
What Say You?
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It’s not just talk – a Hong Kong resident who’s spent years living in the UK recently posted about nine big headaches with life there, and public safety shot straight to the top of the list.
It struck a nerve with lots of folks. Take it from a friend in the legal game who’s spent time in Britain: crooks there are growing bolder by the year, and their antics are getting wild.
Two recent cases are enough to make anyone flinch.
First, thieves snatched pricey watches from the wealthy right outside an exclusive club in a buzzing neighbourhood – this isn’t an isolated event, mind you, it’s become routine and Rolex is the big target.
Crooks snatch high-end watches from America’s elite right outside London’s Mayfair Club – Rolexes are their favourite catch.
Second, some bandits wheeled in a crane truck and hoisted an ATM right off the street from inside a shop, loaded it onto a lorry, and poof – gone. What do both incidents have in common? No police in sight, criminals acting without fear, and now they’re even more daring after tasting easy success.
Thieves roll up with a crane truck, haul an ATM clear out of a supermarket, and vanish – can you believe it?
Hong Kong, on the other hand, stands firm with “police deterrence” – crooks here actually have to think twice before acting out, and it shows. On the “Global Safety Rankings,” the UK sits rungs below Hong Kong, proving exactly why we edge them out.
Rolex Ripped in Mayfair: High Society Targeted
Let’s dig into the luxury watch robbery first.
A US business exec headed to London for meetings at the famous Mayfair Club, where the members are the crème de la crème – kind of like the Hong Kong Club in Central. The exec hops off a cab nearby, walks toward the entrance, only to have two men tracking him. As he reaches the main door, they pounce and fight for his watch. After a few seconds of chaos, his Rolex is gone – thieves sprint to a waiting car and speed off.
The shocked exec put it all on Instagram later, admitting his watch is still missing. London police handling the case say this outside-Mayfair-club-watch-snatched routine keeps happening. His advice? Anyone visiting these glitzy spots especially with Christmas and New Year around the corner – watch your back, quite literally.
Media in Britain quickly dug up fresh stats from the Metropolitan Police: rich watches have eclipsed smartphones as the new criminal jackpot. From Jan 2022 to July 2025, a whopping 5,280 high-end watches have been swiped or stolen, each worth about £3,000 (HK$31,000). The robbers’ top pick? Rolex – 1,788 snatched, followed by Cartier (285), then Omega, Breitling, and Hublot. These guys know exactly what sells and, rumor has it, the loot goes overseas for fat profits.
ATM Gone by Crane: Nighttime Heist Stuns Residents
Now for the story that really makes your jaw drop. Last Sunday near 1 AM, folks upstairs hear weird noises and, peeking out, spot a crane truck with its boom lifting a seriously large chunk. Turns out it’s an ATM from inside a Sainsbury’s. The crooks smash doors, drag the ATM out, swing it onto a white lorry, and calmly drive off into the night.
The resident filming the whole thing calls the cops, but the masked thieves only need seven minutes to vanish, leaving the stolen crane truck behind. By the time police arrive, the lorry’s disappeared – still missing, as I write.
Brazen robberies in London aren’t news anymore. Last year, over 100,000 phones were stolen or snatched from locals and tourists, with barely any recovered. Under mounting public pressure, the police finally took action and smashed a phone-stealing gang that’s believed to have shipped 40,000 stolen phones out of the country last year alone.
Thieves get away with so much because police are simply ineffective. Most times, officers just record reports and let things slide. A British Retail Consortium survey found 61% of shop owners rate cops’ case handling as “poor” or “very poor.” If criminals know they’re unlikely to get caught, why wouldn’t they keep pushing the limit?
Hong Kong’s Policing: Quick Action, Real Results
There’s cause and effect here – Hong Kong’s police solve crimes fast and have arrest rates to match, which is why our global safety ranking towers over the UK. Consider this: the global database Numbeo published its mid-2025 “Safe Index by Country 2025 Mid-Year”, putting Hong Kong at 8th in the world, the Chinese Mainland at 12th, with the UK trailing at 86th and the US even worse at 91st.
TVB has just rolled out a show called “Discover Hong Kong’s Finest.” Frankly, Hong Kong beating the UK on public security by miles is a “Finest” we should all be talking about.
Lai Ting-yiu
