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Business Times
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Times
China and US must keep talking to better understand each other: Chan Chun Sing
[SINGAPORE] Direct dialogue between the United States and China must continue as both sides would benefit from understanding each other's perspectives more deeply despite their differences, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing. Speaking at a media wrap-up on Sunday (June 1) at the close of the Shangri-La Dialogue, he added that his private conversations with both delegations indicated that the superpowers do want to understand each other better, but that this would require frank dialogue. 'Even if they don't agree with what the other party says, it is important for them to hear what each other says and, perhaps more importantly, to understand why each party says what they say,' said Chan. His comments followed two days of discussions at the annual security forum in Singapore, which brought together regional and global defence leaders at the Shangri-La Hotel. The press conference, attended by local and foreign journalists, was dominated by questions about US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's speech at the forum's opening plenary, as well as China's lower-level representation at this year's gathering. On May 31, the Pentagon chief warned that the threat China posed to its neighbours in the Indo-Pacific was 'real', and called on Asian countries to raise their defence spending. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Chan said he read Hegseth's speech 'very carefully, more than once' and urged others to consider it in full rather than to focus only on certain parts. While the speech did highlight concerns about China's behaviour, he noted that it also contained a 'quite significant' message of US intent. Hegseth said the US did not seek war, nor to dominate or strangle China. It also did not aim to encircle, provoke or seek regime change, nor will it instigate or disrespect a proud and historic culture, he added. 'Yes, he did talk about the China threat,' said Chan. 'But I think, and I may be wrong, it's the first time something like that has been stated so clearly. 'So I leave it to the audience to put the weights on the different parts of the speech.' Chan stressed the importance of not looking at China or the US as monolithic powers, and that both societies have their domestic and external challenges. Understanding their internal dynamics will help countries understand why leaders of both powers do what they do, he added. This is why the two powers have to talk to one another directly, and is where the value of the Shangri-La Dialogue lies, said Chan. Replying to a question on how the US' and China's positions on issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea are so far apart that the two powers just talk over each other, he added that that is precisely why genuine dialogue is needed. Apart from the plenary discussions, the forum's value is in allowing for small-group discussions with counterparts from around the world. Chan noted that he had 13 such meetings on May 31, away from the main discussions. 'It's useful to just go into a room, have a cup of coffee, meet one another and exchange notes,' he said. 'And if Singapore can provide the coffee and the table and chairs, we will gladly do that.' Conversely, it is not very useful in defence diplomacy to exchange notes through social media, especially if the intent is to achieve deeper understanding, he added. On the absence of China's defence minister at the forum, Chan reiterated that each country has its own considerations as to who it sends, and there should not be an overemphasis on whether a certain personality attends or not. For the first time since 2019, China's defence minister did not attend the dialogue. In his place, the delegation was led by Rear-Admiral Hu Gangfeng, vice-president of the People's Liberation Army National Defence University. Chan said he met the US and Chinese delegations, and that his message to both was the same: that military and economic security must reinforce each other, a perspective shared by many countries over the weekend. Reflecting on his first Shangri-La Dialogue as Defence Minister, Chan added that some of his counterparts asked how he had been able to conduct the forum just seven days into assuming the defence portfolio. The event was clearly not put together in seven days, he said, but was the outcome of a year's worth of work by an entire team that included Mindef, the Singapore Armed Forces and other agencies. 'That is the beauty of the Singapore system – that it goes beyond the dependence on a single personality,' he added. A remark made during the ministerial roundtable discussions that resonated with him was the phrase 'freedom is not free'. This was a powerful reminder that freedom requires commitment – both across political cycles, and in investments into people and capabilities, he noted. Besides budgetary resources, freedom also requires public support for defence, and rising to meet new troubles and challenges, he said. 'If we have the commitment to seek peace (and) to work on building those relationships and trust, then I'm more confident that we can overcome the challenges by finding solutions.' THE STRAITS TIMES
The Star
13 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Hegseth wins praise but Asia still has strong doubts about Trump
SINGAPORE (Bloomberg): After US military allies in Europe were torched by Vice President JD Vance in March over military spending, free speech and the war in Ukraine, America's partners in Asia warily awaited Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's arrival at a security conference in Singapore. Turns out there was little reason to worry, apart from the perpetual anxiety over President Donald Trump's social media feed. While Hegseth delivered Trump's demands for higher security spending on par with Europe, he couched it as necessary to prepare for a potentially "imminent' Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The US wouldn't be pushed out the region, he said, nor let allies and partners "be subordinated and intimidated' - a commitment lauded by many in attendance. But in the hallways of the Shangri-La Hotel, Hegseth couldn't dispel concerns about the erratic policymaking of his boss. Many of the generals, defense ministers and intelligence officers from Asia and Europe - who are key to helping the US counter China - were still reeling from the shock of Trump's sectoral levies and "reciprocal' tariffs. Hegseth "offered a needed level of reassurance to allies and partners that the United States will remain present in the Indo-Pacific and committed to countering China's coercive threats,' said Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at the Australian National University. "But this message will remain discounted by the dysfunction we are seeing in Washington.' On his second trip to Asia since March, the Pentagon chief displayed some diplomatic nuance that surprised some officials who expected more grandstanding from the former television personality. Hegseth was also able to capitalize on a huge absence at the annual gathering: China didn't send a defense minister for the first time since 2019, putting Beijing's lower-level officials on the back foot. That void gave US officials space to set the tone and work the room, vowing greater cooperation with countries like Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia. And it gave America's traditional partners even more room to criticize Beijing, despite their dependence on trade with China. Yet even if Hegseth was more reassuring than Vance, it still wasn't enough to overcome the uncertainty created by Trump's trade policies. That's particularly the case in Southeast Asia, which was among the hardest hit by Trump's tariffs in April. "Trade is not a soft power indulgence - it is part of our strategic architecture,' Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said, referring to Southeast Asia. "It must be protected, not from competition but from the onslaught of arbitrary imposition of trade restrictions.' Trump's barrage of tariffs and general volatility - he announced a doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs over the weekend - was the subject of much of the chatter on the sidelines of the annual conference, according to several officials who asked not to be identified, citing private discussions. The officials said they were unsure whether the US president would stand by their side in a moment of need and that any deal reached with him could unravel moments later in a social media post. That uncertainty appeared to be pushing Indo-Pacific nations and Europe toward each other in a stronger sense of shared security and free-trade opportunities based on longstanding global rules. It also sparked pushback against what several nations saw as efforts to establish "spheres of influence' where the US or China can dominate. "Our shared responsibility is to ensure with others that our countries are not collateral victims of the imbalances linked to the choices made by the superpowers,' French President Emmanuel Macron said at the conference's opening on Friday. Macron's words about "strategic autonomy' and his call for Europe and Asia to join forces to "de-risk' supply chains struck a chord with many attendees. Several countries in the region are already having similar debates in their own capitals, some of the officials said. Many governments in the region rely on China economically and on the US for security, and are keen to not antagonize either. However, there's also a desire to be more autonomous and less dependent on either of the world's two-biggest economies, opening up new space for middle powers in Europe and Asia to join hands. Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat, made that pitch to Asian nations throughout the weekend. "If you reject unilateralism, bullying and aggression, and instead choose cooperation, shared prosperity and common security, the European Union will always be by your side,' she said. Amid the US-China turbulence, smaller nations sought to build ties. Japan's defense minister, Gen Nakatani, touted efforts to build closer relations with India and the Philippines. Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said on Sunday that her country was working with partners in the region to counter Russian and Chinese cyber threats, as well as Beijing's dominance of drone manufacturing and ship building. Even one of America's closest partners in the region, Australia, signaled some independence from its ally. Hegseth's outreach to the region "is deeply welcome,' Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said. But he quickly added that "liberal trade has been the lifeblood of the Asian region, and the shock and disruption to trade from high tariffs has been costly and destabilizing.' During his remarks, Hegseth was pressed on the trade concerns and whether there was a contradiction in the Trump administration's message. He sidestepped the question with a smile, saying he was "in the business of tanks, not trade.' Last year, China's delegation surprised observers by repeatedly calling unscheduled press briefings. This year they surprised delegates by barely appearing at all. When they did engage, China's representatives pushed back at Hegseth's accusation that Beijing was destabilizing Asia and sparred with other speakers more broadly. The Pentagon chief aimed to "provoke, divide, instigate confrontations, stir up the region,' said Rear Admiral Hu Gangfeng, vice president of China's National Defense University. Another official, Senior Colonel Lu Yin, decried the atmosphere at the forum, saying that "labeling China, blaming China, verbally attacking China are politically right here.' In one of the sharpest exchanges of the weekend, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro had a testy exchange with two senior colonels in the People's Liberation Army, receiving applause after he thanked them for "propaganda spiels disguised as questions.' Referring to China, Teodoro said he couldn't trust a country that "represses its own people.' Yet although China's presence was diminished, most countries still wanted to balance ties between Beijing and Washington. "If we have to choose sides, may we choose the side of principles,' Singapore Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing said on Sunday at the final panel of the weekend. "Principles that uphold a global order, where we do not descend into the law of the jungle, where the mighty do what they wish and the weak suffer what they must.' --With assistance from Alastair Gale, Courtney McBride and Alfred Cang. - ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Mint
14 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
Hegseth Wins Praise But Asia Still Has Strong Doubts About Trump
After US military allies in Europe were torched by Vice President JD Vance in March over military spending, free speech and the war in Ukraine, America's partners in Asia warily awaited Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's arrival at a security conference in Singapore. Turns out there was little reason to worry, apart from the perpetual anxiety over President Donald Trump's social media feed. While Hegseth delivered Trump's demands for higher security spending on par with Europe, he couched it as necessary to prepare for a potentially 'imminent' Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The US wouldn't be pushed out the region, he said, nor let allies and partners 'be subordinated and intimidated' — a commitment lauded by many in attendance. But in the hallways of the Shangri-La Hotel, Hegseth couldn't dispel concerns about the erratic policymaking of his boss. Many of the generals, defense ministers and intelligence officers from Asia and Europe — who are key to helping the US counter China — were still reeling from the shock of Trump's sectoral levies and 'reciprocal' tariffs. Hegseth 'offered a needed level of reassurance to allies and partners that the United States will remain present in the Indo-Pacific and committed to countering China's coercive threats,' said Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at the Australian National University. 'But this message will remain discounted by the dysfunction we are seeing in Washington.' On his second trip to Asia since March, the Pentagon chief displayed some diplomatic nuance that surprised some officials who expected more grandstanding from the former television personality. Hegseth was also able to capitalize on a huge absence at the annual gathering: China didn't send a defense minister for the first time since 2019, putting Beijing's lower-level officials on the back foot. That void gave US officials space to set the tone and work the room, vowing greater cooperation with countries like Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia. And it gave America's traditional partners even more room to criticize Beijing, despite their dependence on trade with China. Yet even if Hegseth was more reassuring than Vance, it still wasn't enough to overcome the uncertainty created by Trump's trade policies. That's particularly the case in Southeast Asia, which was among the hardest hit by Trump's tariffs in April. 'Trade is not a soft power indulgence — it is part of our strategic architecture,' Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said, referring to Southeast Asia. 'It must be protected, not from competition but from the onslaught of arbitrary imposition of trade restrictions.' Trump's barrage of tariffs and general volatility — he announced a doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs over the weekend — was the subject of much of the chatter on the sidelines of the annual conference, according to several officials who asked not to be identified, citing private discussions. The officials said they were unsure whether the US president would stand by their side in a moment of need and that any deal reached with him could unravel moments later in a social media post. That uncertainty appeared to be pushing Indo-Pacific nations and Europe toward each other in a stronger sense of shared security and free-trade opportunities based on longstanding global rules. It also sparked pushback against what several nations saw as efforts to establish 'spheres of influence' where the US or China can dominate. 'Our shared responsibility is to ensure with others that our countries are not collateral victims of the imbalances linked to the choices made by the superpowers,' French President Emmanuel Macron said at the conference's opening on Friday. Macron's words about 'strategic autonomy' and his call for Europe and Asia to join forces to 'de-risk' supply chains struck a chord with many attendees. Several countries in the region are already having similar debates in their own capitals, some of the officials said. Many governments in the region rely on China economically and on the US for security, and are keen to not antagonize either. However, there's also a desire to be more autonomous and less dependent on either of the world's two-biggest economies, opening up new space for middle powers in Europe and Asia to join hands. Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat, made that pitch to Asian nations throughout the weekend. 'If you reject unilateralism, bullying and aggression, and instead choose cooperation, shared prosperity and common security, the European Union will always be by your side,' she said. Amid the US-China turbulence, smaller nations sought to build ties. Japan's defense minister, Gen Nakatani, touted efforts to build closer relations with India and the Philippines. Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said on Sunday that her country was working with partners in the region to counter Russian and Chinese cyber threats, as well as Beijing's dominance of drone manufacturing and ship building. Even one of America's closest partners in the region, Australia, signaled some independence from its ally. Hegseth's outreach to the region 'is deeply welcome,' Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said. But he quickly added that 'liberal trade has been the lifeblood of the Asian region, and the shock and disruption to trade from high tariffs has been costly and destabilizing.' During his remarks, Hegseth was pressed on the trade concerns and whether there was a contradiction in the Trump administration's message. He sidestepped the question with a smile, saying he was 'in the business of tanks, not trade.' Last year, China's delegation surprised observers by repeatedly calling unscheduled press briefings. This year they surprised delegates by barely appearing at all. When they did engage, China's representatives pushed back at Hegseth's accusation that Beijing was destabilizing Asia and sparred with other speakers more broadly. The Pentagon chief aimed to 'provoke, divide, instigate confrontations, stir up the region,' said Rear Admiral Hu Gangfeng, vice president of China's National Defense University. Another official, Senior Colonel Lu Yin, decried the atmosphere at the forum, saying that 'labeling China, blaming China, verbally attacking China are politically right here.' In one of the sharpest exchanges of the weekend, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro had a testy exchange with two senior colonels in the People's Liberation Army, receiving applause after he thanked them for 'propaganda spiels disguised as questions.' Referring to China, Teodoro said he couldn't trust a country that 'represses its own people.' Yet although China's presence was diminished, most countries still wanted to balance ties between Beijing and Washington. 'If we have to choose sides, may we choose the side of principles,' Singapore Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing said on Sunday at the final panel of the weekend. 'Principles that uphold a global order, where we do not descend into the law of the jungle, where the mighty do what they wish and the weak suffer what they must.' With assistance from Alastair Gale, Courtney McBride and Alfred Cang. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
China and US must keep talking to better understand each other: Chan Chun Sing
Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing speaking at the close of the Shangri-La Dialogue on June 1. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Shangri-La Dialogue 2025 China and US must keep talking to better understand each other: Chan Chun Sing SINGAPORE - Direct dialogue between the United States and China must continue, as both sides would benefit from understanding each other's perspectives more deeply despite their differences, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing. Speaking at a media wrap-up on June 1 at the close of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Mr Chan said his private conversations with both delegations indicated that the superpowers do want to understand each other better, but that this would require frank dialogue. 'Even if they don't agree with what the other party says, it is important for them to hear what each other says and, perhaps more importantly, to understand why each party says what they say,' said Mr Chan. His comments followed two days of discussions at the annual security forum in Singapore, which brought together regional and global defence leaders at the Shangri-La Hotel. The press conference, attended by both local and foreign journalists, was dominated by questions about US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's speech at the forum's opening plenary, as well as China's lower-level representation at this year's gathering. On May 31, the Pentagon chief had warned that the threat China posed to its neighbours in the Indo-Pacific was 'real', and he called on Asian countries to raise their defence spending. Mr Chan said he had read Mr Hegseth's speech 'very carefully, more than once' and urged others to consider it in full rather than to focus only on certain parts. While the speech did highlight concerns about China's behaviour, he noted that it also contained a 'quite significant' message of US intent. Mr Hegseth had said the US did not seek war, nor to dominate or to strangle China. It also did not aim to encircle, provoke, or seek regime change, nor will it instigate or disrespect a proud and historic culture, he added. 'Yes, he did talk about the China threat,' said Mr Chan. 'But I think, and I may be wrong, it's the first time something like this has been stated so clearly. 'So I leave it to the audience to put the weights on the different parts of the speech.' Mr Chan stressed the importance of not looking at China or the US as monolithic powers, and that both societies have their domestic and external challenges. Understanding their internal dynamics will help countries understand why leaders of both powers do what they do, he added. This is why the two powers have to talk to one another directly, and where the value of the Shangri-La Dialogue lies, said Mr Chan. Replying to a question on how the US' and China's position on issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea are so far apart that the two powers just talk over each other, Mr Chan said that is precisely why genuine dialogue is needed. Besides the plenary discussions, the forum's value is in allowing for small-group discussions with counterparts from around the world. Mr Chan said he himself had 13 such meetings on May 31, away from the main discussions. 'It's useful to just go into a room, have a cup of coffee, meet one another and exchange notes,' he said. 'And if Singapore can provide the coffee and the table and chairs, we will gladly do it.' Conversely, it is not very useful in defence diplomacy to exchange notes through social media, especially if the intent is to achieve deeper understanding, he added. On the absence of China's defence minister at the forum, Mr Chan reiterated that each country has their own considerations as to who they send, and there should not be an overemphasis on whether a certain personality attends or not. For the first time since 2019, China's defence minister did not attend the dialogue. In his place, the delegation was led by Rear-Admiral (RADM) Hu Gangfeng, the vice-president of the People's Liberation Army National Defence University. Mr Chan said he met with both the US and Chinese delegations, and that his message to both was the same: that military and economic security must reinforce each other, a perspective shared by many countries over the weekend. Reflecting on his first Shangri-La Dialogue as Defence Minister, Mr Chan said some of his counterparts had asked how he had been able to conduct the forum just seven days into assuming the defence portfolio. The event was clearly not put together in seven days, he said, but was the outcome of a year's worth of work by an entire team that included Mindef, the Singapore Armed Forces and other agencies. 'That is the beauty of the Singapore system - that it goes beyond the dependence on a single personality,' he said. He added that a remark made during the ministerial roundtable discussions that resonated with him was the phrase 'freedom is not free'. This was a powerful reminder that freedom requires commitment - both across political cycles, and in investments into people and capabilities, he said. Besides budgetary resources, freedom also requires public support for defence, and rising to meet new troubles and challenges, he added. 'If we have the commitment to seek peace (and) to work on building those relationships and trust, then I'm more confident, that we can overcome the challenges by finding solutions.' - Hariz Baharudin is a correspondent at The Straits Times covering politics. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
Did China take a back seat by not having its defence minister attend this year's Shangri-La Dialogue?
SINGAPORE: Almost everyone was talking about China at the Shangri-La Dialogue this weekend. The main question: Why did Beijing opt not to send its defence minister? For the large part of the three-day security forum held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, China was not around to push back against the criticisms levelled against it. But it appears that this was a calculated loss that Beijing is prepared to accept. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned China about 20 times in his speech on May 31, as he urged other countries in the Indo-Pacific to increase their defence expenditure, buy more American arms and buffer themselves against the 'threat' posed by China. French President Emmanuel Macron on May 30 invited the security policymakers and military chiefs attending the forum to think of Russia's aggression in Ukraine as what China might do to Taiwan or the Philippines. The role of the Chinese defence minister is to conduct defence diplomacy and explain China's security positions to other countries. Had he been at this weekend's top security gathering in Singapore, Beijing would have had the podium for over an hour to respond to Washington and address the concerns raised by other delegates. Not this year. For the first time since 2019, China's defence minister did not attend. This meant the platform set aside for China had to be downsized accordingly. Its delegation chief – a military scholar with the rank of a one-star general – spoke in a smaller room to a smaller audience for a shorter time than the minister would have had. He was one of five panellists at one of the three concurrent sessions at the end of the day on May 31. As the vice-president of the People's Liberation Army National Defence University, Rear-Admiral Hu Gangfeng is not involved in combat operations or policymaking. He gave a brief response to Hegseth's speech, dismissing his criticisms as 'unfounded accusations' and going against the spirit of the forum, to reduce and not magnify differences. The Chinese embassy in Singapore, which belongs to the ministry of foreign affairs and usually remains backstage at the defence ministry-driven Shangri-La Dialogue, made the unusual move of posting a response to Hegseth's speech on its Facebook page, describing it as 'steeped in provocations and instigation' and a relentless hyping of the China threat. But China's overall response to its critics at the forum this year was markedly low-key compared with the year before. In 2024, the Chinese defence ministry officials briefed reporters hours after then US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin gave his speech; Minister Dong Jun held court at a plenary session the next day; and just before the forum ended, four or five military experts stood in different corners of a hotel room to answer journalists' questions almost in a speed-dating format. Did China shoot itself in the foot by ceding the space at the annual forum for the US to run with its narrative of rallying allies and partners in the region against Beijing? Not necessarily. A Chinese security expert explained that while the delivery style may differ, whoever represents China at the forum is expected to deliver the same talking points that have been pre-cleared by the senior leadership, at the apex of which is President Xi Jinping, the de facto commander-in-chief. He declined to be named as he was not cleared to speak to the media. Rear-Adm Hu alluded to this on May 31 when pressed to explain the absence of the defence minister: 'Objectively speaking, I'm the appointed person today to convey our thinking and exchange views with you all. I suppose you would've heard clearly our true thinking.' He argued that China's representation at the forum changes over the years, and this variance should be seen as a 'perfectly normal work arrangement that does not impact the actual efficacy of our sharing of defence policy thinking'. But this does not mean that China has given up on the Shangri-La Dialogue and will never send its defence minister again. Rear-Adm Hu reaffirmed that China still values and sees the forum as a 'very good platform to engage and discuss with all parties about regional cooperation in Asia-Pacific'. This raises the question – if so, why didn't Beijing send its top defence diplomat here? Observers have proffered a number of theories for Admiral Dong's no-show. A likely explanation is that since the leaders of China and the US have not talked and decided at the highest level on how to manage the bilateral relations, which are fractious across trade, politics and security, there is not much that their defence ministers can meet and talk about, in practical terms. Having bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the forum in the third-party ground of Singapore is the other main purpose of being here, besides to speak at the forum. For example, when Adm Dong attended the forum in 2024 for the first time as defence minister, his bilateral meetings with the then Defence Secretary was crucial for a reset of China-US military ties, which had stalled after then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi angered China by visiting Taiwan in 2022. Given the uncertainty and unpredictability of bilateral ties, China may have opted for a conservative, wait-and-see approach this year by sending a lower-level representation. Another supplementary consideration is: While Adm Dong appeared to have been in the clear after reportedly being questioned for corruption last year, rumours of other generals being investigated for corruption continue to surface. The absence of high-level military officials would forestall awkward questions, even in casual conversation. As with many things related to the Communist Party of China, the full picture may never emerge. Two scholars in the official Chinese delegation confessed to The Straits Times that they simply did not know the reason Adm Dong did not attend this year's forum. For this year, Hegseth gets the spotlight all to himself. - The Straits Times/ANN
