Shangri-La Dialogue: Singapore’s defence minister says strengthened resolve prevents conflict in Asia

Asia’s geographical separation from Ukraine and the Middle East provides a ‘mental space’ for reflection, Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen says

Singapore is ‘realistic’ and does not have outsized aspirations or strategic overstretch in US-China ties

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Singapore’s Defence minister Ng Eng Hen speaks at the Munich Security Conference in February. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 9:10pm, 1 Jun 2024

Lessons have been learnt on the “cost of aggression” elsewhere and resolve has strengthened across the board to ensure conflict does not break out in Asia, Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters during a sit-down interview at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s top defence summit, Ng said Asia’s geographical separation from Ukraine and the Middle East, where the situations are “unsettled”, provides a “mental space” for reflection.

He added that one of the prevailing moods for ministers and officials at this year’s dialogue compared to last year was that what happened in Europe and the Middle East “should not happen in Asia”.

“That’s been a recurring theme. From their point of view, we’re learning important lessons vicariously and at a low cost because we are seeing that.

“I would say that there’s been strengthened resolve or pre-emption that conflict shouldn’t occur in Asia.

“One because it would really destabilise, having a third centre of confrontation. But also [because of] the lessons learnt on the cost of aggression and the consequences of aggression.”