Latest news with #dialogue
South China Morning Post
14 hours ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Singapore minister tells nations to ‘build bridges' with China to avoid misconception
Singapore 's defence minister on Sunday said it was 'incumbent' on other countries to reach out to China to avoid misinterpretation and misunderstanding as he urged Beijing to use every opportunity to make its perspective understood by the world. 'It is in the interest of all of us to work with China, and it is also in the interest of China to work with everyone else,' Chan Chun Sing told delegates at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. 'It is in the interest of all of us to better, deeper understand China's fears, concerns and aspirations, just as it is important for China to understand how the rest of the world perceives China,' Chan said at the three-day premier Asian defence summit, which began on Friday. 'Regardless of whether China attends the Shangri-La Dialogue, it's incumbent upon all of us also to reach out to China in different forums to try to build those bridges so that we not end up in a situation whereby either side misinterpret or miscommunicate or misrepresent each other's positions.' In a departure from its practice since 2019, Beijing sent a lower-level delegation to the conclave attended by ministers, defence chiefs and academics from 47 countries. Chan, who is attending the event as defence minister for the first time after being sworn in on May 23, said on Saturday that the superpower's presence was missed at a ministerial round table and stressed the importance of dialogue with China to prevent misunderstanding intentions.
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
3 Strategies To Help You Disagree Like A Leader
The Hatfields and the McCoys have long captured the American imagination, pitting neighbor against neighbor in the mountains of Kentucky and West Virginia. Sensational journalism brought national attention to the feuding families and spawned the hillbilly stereotypes that still denigrate rural Appalachians. But the real story is—as most are—more complex. Post Civil War industrialization brought with it a rapacious need for timber, coal and an expanded railroad. The now famous feud, magnified and distorted by self-interested tycoons, escalated a simple disagreement to encourage a land grab in the Tug Valley, destroying rich resources, economic livelihoods and a previously peaceful way of life. We've just turned the page on a contentious election, leaving Americans feeling a lot like the Hatfields and the McCoys. But our sparring is just a symptom—of what happens when disagreement stops being dialogue and starts becoming demolition. Even among partners, even among friends, we're losing the ability to disagree without destroying each other. In an era of cancel culture, viral outrage, and political point-scoring, disagreement has become dangerous territory. We urgently need to re-learn the lost art of disagreeing with respect. And it's not just on the global stage. In boardrooms, classrooms, hospitals, and homes, disagreement now feels like an existential threat. We shout, we shut down, or we stay silent. What we rarely do is stay present—with openness, humility, and grace. But disagreement is not the enemy. Done well, it fuels progress, not division. Innovation, growth, democracy itself—none of it works without productive disagreement. So how do we navigate conflict without collapsing connection? How do we disagree—not just loudly, but wisely? Here are three strategies—drawn from research and real-world examples—that offer a way forward. In many organizations, disagreement is seen as a problem to solve—or worse, a liability to avoid. The goal is harmony. Alignment. Consensus. But that mindset often breeds groupthink and mediocrity. High-performing teams flip the script. They treat disagreement not as defiance, but as data. Not as disruption, but as a sign of engagement and a catalyst for smarter thinking. Pixar mastered this early on. Its famous 'Braintrust' meetings brought together directors, writers, and producers to openly critique films-in-progress. The feedback was fierce—storyboards dismantled, ideas shredded—but the environment was psychologically safe. As co-founder Ed Catmull put it, the magic was in 'candor without fear.' People walked out with sharper stories, not bruised egos. The science backs this up. A 2003 meta-analysis found that task-related conflict—disagreements over ideas, not identities—consistently improves team performance, especially when trust and psychological safety are present. Silence isn't a sign of harmony. It's often a sign of fear. Respectful disagreement doesn't just happen—it's engineered. It requires space, both cultural and structural. And in high-stakes or hierarchical environments, that space must be built with intention. Consider the aviation industry. In the 1990s, Korean Air faced a disturbing number of crashes. Investigators uncovered a deadly pattern: junior crew members often spotted mistakes but stayed silent—especially when it was the captain who was wrong. Deference and politeness were literally killing people. The fix wasn't just technical. It was cultural. Korean Air overhauled its communication protocols and launched a rigorous training program emphasizing open communication, teamwork, and the importance of all crew members speaking up, regardless of rank. As a result, the airline eventually became one of the safest in the world. The lesson? It's not enough to remove barriers—you have to install supports and good communication. Leaders must actively invite dissent, reward courage, and build systems that make disagreement safe. And no, that doesn't mean every meeting becomes a sparring match. It means building a culture where candor is expected, not punished. When people can't speak up, organizations can't move forward. Most of us don't avoid disagreements because we don't care—we avoid it because we're human. Our brains are wired for belonging, and conflict—especially unresolved conflict—feels like a threat to that connection. But discomfort is where learning lives. In 1960, civil rights leader Diane Nash helped lead a group of Black and white students in Nashville through intensive nonviolent protest training. Before they ever sat together in protest at a segregated lunch counter, they rehearsed how to withstand verbal abuse, physical threats, and emotional pressure. The goal wasn't just to resist—it was to remain present, with dignity and discipline, long enough to shift public perception. It was hard, but it worked. Today's workplace may not require that level of courage. But it does require staying power. Whether you're challenging a biased comment, unpacking a flawed assumption, or rethinking a failed strategy—real growth comes when we resist the urge to exit the discomfort too soon. Respectful disagreement requires lingering a little longer. Listening past your own rebuttal. Asking the second question. Resisting the simplicity of certainty and choosing instead to sit—briefly—in the complexity of someone else's view. Growth doesn't happen when we win the argument. It happens when we stay in it. The infamous feud didn't serve the Hatfields or the McCoys. It served the industrialists—timber, coal, and railroad barons—who capitalized on the chaos. As the families fought, outside interests moved in, seizing land, extracting resources, and destabilizing communities. The story is a reminder: when we become too consumed by conflict, we risk falling victim to someone else's agenda. The same is true today. The problems we face—at work, in politics, in our communities—are too complex and too urgent to let discord divide us. Especially when that division leaves us vulnerable to manipulation, distraction, or inaction. We don't need fewer disagreements. We need better ones—because the right kind of conflict builds trust, sharpens thinking, and moves us forward. It's not about being right. It's about getting it right—together. Instead of resisting the arguments of others, ask yourself: What am I missing? What might they see that I don't? The goal isn't to win. It's to stay in the room long enough to solve the problem. Because if we can't learn to disagree with respect, we'll lose far more than the argument. We'll lose the very tools we need to build what's next.
NHK
2 days ago
- Business
- NHK
Macron stresses importance of Europe-Asia cooperation at Shangri-La Dialogue
French President Emmanuel Macron has delivered a keynote speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major defense forum underway in Singapore. He called for new coalitions for open trade and open dialogue to stabilize the rules-based order. Speaking on Friday, Macron noted that the competition for global leadership between China and the United States poses a risk to the international community. He also stressed the importance of cooperation between Europe and Asia. Macron's comments apparently had the tariff measures imposed by the administration of US President Donald Trump in mind, and also Russia's invasion of Ukraine. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is due to give a speech on Saturday. Observers are watching closely for what he says about security challenges in Asia, such as Taiwan and the South China Sea, where Beijing is growing increasingly assertive.
Russia Today
2 days ago
- General
- Russia Today
‘Terrorism and dialogue cannot go together' – India on talks with Pakistan
India has reiterated that 'terrorism and dialogue cannot go together' in response to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's remark that Islamabad is ready for dialogue with its neighbor. Speaking at a press briefing in New Delhi on Thursday, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal underscored the country's unchanged position on engagement with Islamabad. 'And as far as the issue of terrorism is concerned, any discussion with Pakistan will focus on the list of terrorists we had provided to them some years ago – they should hand them over to us.' Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday echoed that stance, insisting that Pakistan must hand over designated terrorists, including Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed, the respective leaders of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) and Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT), 'if it is serious about talks.' Both men are designated as terrorists in India but are also on the United Nations (UN) 1267 ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions List. 'It would be in Pakistan's interest to uproot the nurseries of terrorism operating on its soil with its own hands,' Singh said. Pakistan Should 'Uproot' Its 'Nurseries Of Terrorism' - Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Speaking earlier this week at a Pakistan-Türkiye-Azerbaijan trilateral summit in Azerbaijan alongside presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ilham Aliyev, Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif said his country wants 'peace in the region,' which requires 'talks on the table' on Kashmir, a region that has been claimed by both countries ever since their independence from Britain in 1947. 'I have said in all earnest that if India wants to talk on countering terrorism in sincerity of purpose, Pakistan would be willing to talk to India on this issue as well,' Sharif was quoted by The Dawn newspaper as on Kashmir, the Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson reiterated that the issue would be resolved bilaterally when Pakistan vacates the part of the region which it holds 'illegally and unlawfully.' The statements come after New Delhi launched military action against targets in Pakistan, which it labeled as 'terrorist camps.' The operation was a response to the April 22 massacre of 26 people in Pahalgam, in India's union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist organization. Islamabad denied any involvement in the attack, with Pakistani top officials claiming the country was itself a 'victim of terrorism.' India insisted that it only targeted locations linked with terrorist organizations, and not Pakistani military or civilian targets. Islamabad, however, accused Delhi of targeting civilians. It later retaliated by attacking Indian military sites, leading to further escalation by both countries. After a brief but intense conflict, a ceasefire was announced on May 10.
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
US Flag Raised in Damascus, Envoy Says Syria-Israel Peace is Possible
The United States' newly-appointed Syria envoy said he believed peace between Syria and Israel was achievable as he made his first trip to Damascus on Thursday, praising the new government and saying it was ready for dialogue. Thomas Barrack raised the American flag over the ambassador's residence for the first time since the US embassy closed in 2012, underlining a rapid expansion of US ties with Damascus since President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced the lifting of sanctions and met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, Reuters reported. "Syria and Israel is a solvable problem. But it starts with a dialogue," Barrack told a small group of journalists in Damascus. "I'd say we need to start with just a non-aggression agreement, talk about boundaries and borders," he said. Barrack also said that Syria would no longer be deemed a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States, saying the issue was "gone with the Assad regime being finished" but that Congress had a six-month review period. "America's intent and the president's vision is that we have to give this young government a chance by not interfering, not demanding, by not giving conditions, by not imposing our culture on your culture," Barrack said. Interim President Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander, is rapidly reorienting a country that had turbulent ties with the West and close relations to Iran and Russia during more than five decades of rule by the Assad family. Syria has long been a frontline state in the Arab-Israeli conflict, with Israel occupying the Syrian Golan Heights since a war in 1967. Israel seized more Syrian territory in the border zone following Bashar al-Assad's ouster in December, citing concerns about militants' roots of Syria's new rulers. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Israeli and Syrian officials were in direct contact, having held face-to-face meetings aimed at calming tensions and preventing conflict in the border region. Trump urged Sharaa to normalize relations with Israel when they met earlier this month. Barrack, who is also US ambassador to Türkiye, was named as Syria's US envoy on May 23. He noted Syria had been under US sanctions since 1979. Some of the toughest were implemented in 2020 under the so-called Caesar act, which Barrack said must be repealed by Congress within a 180-day window. "I promise you the one person who has less patience with these sanctions than all of you is President Trump," he said. The US closed its embassy in Damascus in February 2012, nearly a year after protests against Assad devolved into a violent conflict that went on to ravage Syria for more than a decade. Then-ambassador Robert Ford was pulled out of Syria shortly before the embassy closed. Subsequent US envoys for Syria operated from abroad and did not visit Damascus.
