Singapore does not see itself as an interlocutor between Washington and Beijing, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing.
“It’s not about calibrating, it’s about constantly finding ways to build up the relationship according to the mutual interest of both parties,” he said.
Both sides, he added, value Singapore’s views, and the Republic will “share our perspective frankly and honestly” with them.
“They may not always agree with everything we say, but as a trusted, principled, and reliable friend, we will do our best to share honest views.”
Singapore can make “a small contribution” to US-China mutual understanding, “but that does not mean that we are trying to pass messages, or trying to balance,” he said.
Mr Chan was speaking to a small group of reporters from China and Singapore on Thursday, on the sidelines of the Xiangshan Forum.
He stressed that Singapore’s approach goes “beyond specific personalities” and requires understanding how each system works, its concerns and interests.
Singapore’s ties with both the US and China are not limited to the military, but span economic, social and cultural domains, he said. Singapore is “constantly finding ways to strengthen those ties rather than resting on our laurels”.
Mr Chan likened the Xiangshan Forum to the Shangri-La Dialogue as “a very efficient venue for people to meet up”.
The Xiangshan Forum is widely seen as China’s counterbalance to the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, bringing together defence and security leaders from around the world.
Attending the forum for the first time as defence minister, Mr Chan described the general mood as one of concern over the global security situation, “especially (among) the smaller countries”.
“They will want to see how we can develop mechanisms to enhance dialogue, build confidence and manage conflicts, if ever conflicts (or) skirmishes break out,” he said.
Mr Chan also highlighted the need for major powers to reassure others as military capabilities grow.
“The greater our capabilities, the greater must be our efforts to reassure people,” he said, while noting that every country has the right to build up its own defences.
“It’s not just about building capabilities. It’s about how we use, and not use, the capability as the last resort,” he added.
This also applies to Singapore’s armed forces, he said.
“We build up our capabilities ahead of time in anticipation of future challenges, but we’ll be very happy that we will never … have to use those capabilities, which means that we would have achieved our job of securing the peace without having to resort to force.”
Additional reporting by Tan Si Hui
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/china-xiangshan-forum-chan-chun-sing-mindef-singapore-5353731
