SINGAPORE: The city-state’s new Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing delivered a clear call for profound involvement and collaboration between China, the United States, and regional countries, cautioning that worldwide confidence and stability are contingent on sincere discussions and genuine negotiation, not hot air and inflated language.
Speaking after the yearly Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defence conference initiated by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, Chan stressed that “every opportunity possible” should be seized to foster meaningful conversations among global powers, Breaking Defense reported.
“Having spoken with both the US and the Chinese, I think both sides will benefit from a deeper understanding of each other’s positions,” Chan said at a media session on Sunday. “This way, we don’t oversimplify complex issues or seek simplistic solutions.”
But Chan highlighted that such discussions must go beyond superficial peacekeeping or mediation.
“It must be a true dialogue—one where both sides actively listen, not merely speak past each other,” he said.
Pointing to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s comments that Washington is not pursuing conflict or government change in China, Chan said such explanations were “very useful” in dissipating distrust.
“There are certain perceptions on both sides,” he clarified. “But both must clearly state their bottom lines to build mutual trust and confidence.”
His remarks came hours after his speech during the summit meeting’s concluding plenary assembly, where he responded to a question from a Chinese People’s Liberation Army representative, who voiced out concerns over what he labelled as recurring assaults on China during the summit meeting.
“If China feels misunderstood or disrespected, then it is even more important for China to step forward and articulate its stance,” Chan said. “The Shangri-La Dialogue is exactly the kind of platform where China can do that.”
China’s subdued presence at this year’s summit drew attention, with the country sending a lower-level team led by Rear Admiral Hu Gangfeng, vice president of China’s National Defense University. Particularly, Beijing capered its customary post-speech press meeting, choosing instead to issue a scathing statement condemning Secretary Hegseth for making offensive remarks and making China look like a menace.
As a former army chief turned minister, Chan utilised his speech to highlight Singapore’s long-standing position: that tiny states must be permitted to flourish under an international order that is founded on transnational law and shared esteem.
“Singapore will stand on the side of principles,” he professed. “We support a global economic and security system where all states—large or small—have the right to compete, cooperate, and improve lives through trade, not war.”
Chan also delivered a warning note against nations that take one-sided steps in the name of national security. While he accepted the predisposition to value one’s safety, he foretold the risk in ignoring long-held standards.
“If there is no trust in nations abiding by shared rules, the pursuit of security could trigger a vicious cycle—where seeking protection by one state leads to heightened insecurity in others,” he stated.
With pressures festering in the Indo-Pacific and major powers steering a fluctuating global environment, Chan’s message was clear: discussions and negotiations, not disconnection or conflict, are the only route to long-term armistice.