Defence ministers looking forward to US translating Asia commitment into 'tangible actions': Chan Chun Sing

SINGAPORE: Singapore's newly minted Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing on Saturday (May 31) said his counterparts were "cheered" by the United States' commitment to the Asia-Pacific region and were looking forward to this being translated into "tangible actions".

Earlier, in a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Trump administration would increase its focus on the Indo-Pacific region, calling it a "priority theatre".

He said the futures of the US and its Indo-Pacific allies were "bound together", with the security and prosperity of Americans linked to that of citizens in allied countries.  

This echoed remarks on Thursday by the US embassy head in Singapore, Casey Mace, who said the US delegation attending Asia's premier defence summit this year was a high-level one, signalling commitment to the Indo-Pacific. He also referred to the region as "a leading priority for US foreign policy".

On Saturday, Mr Chan spoke to reporters after a ministerial roundtable he had attended earlier in the afternoon. Among those in attendance were Mr Hegseth and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas. 

Building up defence capabilities is a "long-term endeavour", said Mr Chan, who is attending his first Shangri-La Dialogue as defence minister.

"It must transcend the shorter political cycles. If we are really serious about building capabilities for the long haul,  it must be a commitment across different political cycles."

Mr Hegseth had on Saturday repeated a pledge made by previous administrations to strengthen US capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region for more robust deterrence. 

But US military resources from the region have been diverted to other conflicts around the world instead such as in Ukraine and Gaza. 

Asked why this was the case, Mr Hegseth said a shift of resources was necessary to defend against attacks such as those by the Houthi militants from Yemen.

During Mr Chan's interview with the media, he was also asked for his impression of his US counterpart. 

"I think people were appreciative of the US secretary of defence, his candour, and I think that's the spirit of the ministerial roundtable; that people are able to speak frankly and share their perspective, and nobody is trying to judge anybody else," he said. 

CHINA'S ABSENCE

Mr Hegseth in his speech also shared some of his strongest comments on China since taking office in January. He said the "threat" China poses was real and could be imminent, adding that Beijing was "credibly preparing" to potentially use military force to alter the "balance of power" in the Indo-Pacific. 

China's Defence Minister Dong Jun has skipped this year's dialogue and Beijing has sent only an academic delegation with no top defence officials.

Mr Chan said most, if not all, ministers he met at the roundtable would have hoped for the presence of the Chinese delegation. 

"We continue to welcome China's participation in future dialogues, and even on the sidelines, I encourage all my fellow counterparts, all my fellow defence ministers, that notwithstanding China's absence, we should continue to reach out to China," he said. "And I'm sure China, in its own time, will also want to reach out to the rest of the world."

He described the Shangri-La Dialogue as a useful platform for meetings and dialogues to minimise the chances of miscalculations or the misreading of each other's intentions.

Addressing Singapore's role in a more complex world, Mr Chan said the country will always be an open and inclusive platform for people to come together and exchange notes, and to have frank conversations with one another. 

Singapore, too, will continue to bring "real value" by sharing its own perspectives. 

He added: "So we are not just passing messages, if you like. We have our own perspectives, garnered from our interactions with our friends and partners. And we share them frankly with different partners."