Speech by Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, at the First Plenary Session on “Security Cooperation and Asia-Pacific Prosperity and Stability” at the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on 13 September 2024

Introduction

尊敬的先生们女士们，大家上午好。非常荣幸受中国国防部长董军海军上将的邀请参加第十一届北京香山论坛。这是我第十次访问中国，也是第六次在香山论坛发言。每一次都很高兴看到香山论坛的蓬勃发展。我在此祝愿第十一届北京香山论坛取得圆满成功！接下来，我会用英语演讲。

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, fellow panellists. On behalf of the Singapore Ministry of Defence and the Singapore Armed Forces, let me congratulate the People¡¯s Liberation Army (PLA) Academy of Military Sciences President Yang Xuejun and the China Institute for International Strategic Studies for successfully organising the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum. This is my 10th visit to China as the Minister for Defence, and 6th speaking at the Xiangshan Forum. With each visit, the Xiangshan Forum continues to improve and is now an established and valuable forum that contributes to regional and international security.

Alongside her growth as an economic and military power, it is good and reassuring that China seeks to play an important and constructive role to enhance peace and stability. In 2019, China helped set up a trilateral Bangladesh-China-Myanmar working group on the repatriation of the Rohingya people. In 2023, China brokered a deal to restore diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Recently in July of this year, the various Palestinian factions gathered in Beijing for reconciliation talks.

China is also the 8th largest contributor of United Nations peacekeeping personnel, and has so far deployed over 50,000 peacekeepers to over 20 countries, a sizeable contribution for any country. In the Russia-Ukraine war, many countries have asked China to help end the war. Ukraine¡¯s then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Dmytro Kuleba, recently visited China and discussed with the China Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi what China could do to achieve a "lasting and just peace". In May this year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted that President Xi Jinping has played an important role in "de-escalating Russia's irresponsible nuclear threats" and hoped that China will continue to play that role.

China also helps the Global South and emerging economies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, China provided more than 2.3 billion doses of vaccines to other countries. Earlier this month, China successfully concluded the 9th Forum on China and Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to spur trade, infrastructural development, and education opportunities. China has also contributed to Southeast Asia’s infrastructural development. Last year, the region’s first high speed rail link started operations, and now connects the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Bandung. These are some positive outcomes of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). I hope that the other initiatives by China, namely the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilisation Initiative will bear similar fruit.

But at the same time, China will have to help deal with problems that have arisen. These include large debt burdens of emerging economies sustained as a result of some of these initiatives. There are also concerns over the projects’ environmental impact, higher than expected costs, and even social tensions in some cases. 

The over-riding goal of all of China’s initiatives must be stability and sustainability of the global eco-system. Post-World War II, the US and the Western allies played decisive roles in setting up institutions such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organisation, which championed international law, multilateralism and free trade. These delivered progress in the second half of the 20th century for the global order. Misgivings aside about that Western-centric set up, the economic figures speak for themselves. Global GDP has grown exponentially after the war, and is now about 13 times larger compared to 1950 in real terms. And while one in two persons worldwide lived in extreme poverty in 1950, that number has dropped drastically to under one in ten persons today. China has been both a major contributor as well as beneficiary. Since Reform and Opening-up in 1978, China’s economy grew almost 50 times, and lifted some 800 million people out of poverty.

Just as China has shown resolve and commitment to help deal with security issues in other places, it also plays a key role in our own backyard, particularly in the South China Sea. There was much relief when escalating tensions near the Second Thomas Shoal over the past year between China and the Philippines moderated following a dialogue between them in July. However, incidents at other disputed areas have now cropped up. We hope that dialogue would continue. Sustained channels of communication such as hotlines are also necessary, especially in moments of crisis. 

Most importantly, both the United States and China need to put their relations on a better trajectory. I am glad that the summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping took place in November 2023, following which military-to-military communications have resumed across various levels. China Minister of National Defense ADM Dong Jun also met US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Shangri-La Dialogue this year. I am heartened that US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan recently visited China and that constructive discussions were held with President Xi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, and Central Military Commission Vice Chairman GEN Zhang Youxia. They agreed on the importance of maintaining open lines of communication and planning for more bilateral engagements, including between the two Presidents and the theatre commanders. Singapore, and indeed all countries, look forward to the continued resumption of these engagements.

Open and Inclusive Regional Architecture

Through these various initiatives, China as a world leader has articulated its desired norms and rules that will achieve a vision of the regional and world order. Here, inclusivity and universality are keys that have proven themselves crucial to maintain peace and progress and support from the largest numbers of countries.

More countries will find it easy to support a vision that espouses common rules that bind and benefit all countries, whether big or small. A vision and order – governed not only by norms that are seen to be fair for countries big or small – not governed by might. A vision and order that seeks prosperity for all, and not just for a few. When President Xi visited Singapore in 2015, he noted that China had always advocated the idea that the strong and rich should not suppress or oppress those weaker and poorer (强不执弱，富不侮贫). The reassurance from China regarding adherence to international law, that its growth will continue to lift all boats, will build support for that inclusive vision. 

Of the top five economies today – US, China, Germany, Japan, and India – three are in Asia. 50 years ago in 1970, only the USSR and Japan stood among the top five. That sizeable shift towards Asia calls for an accommodation as well as consensus from influential countries to evolve a stable world order for our generation. And China needs to be an important voice in that conversation.

The Chinese economy depends on the global economy and vice versa. China's growth sustained Asia and prevented it from falling into a deep recession during the 2007-08 global financial crisis. In particular, China's massive fiscal package of 4 trillion yuan, orUS$600 billion, was known to have spurred regional recovery. China's economy is more connected to the global economy than ever before. China is the world's largest exporter and the second-largest recipient of foreign direct investment. In our region, ASEAN and China are each other's largest trading partners. What happens in China, reverberates to ASEAN, Asia and beyond.

In security issues, China is a key player in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus). All 18 ADMM-Plus navies have since adopted and practised the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), and for the maritime exercises, to reduce the risk of miscalculation. A further concrete step would be to expand CUES to bring in law enforcement and paramilitary forces, such as coast guards, into the framework. China and ASEAN should also continue to make progress on the South China Sea Code of Conduct based on international laws and norms. I suggest that there should be an expeditious conclusion to this, to reduce the often-cited criticism that China and ASEAN should do without external forces.

So, thank you for inviting me to speak at the Xiangshan Forum again. Let us continue to work to forge peace and stability in our region and globally. Thank you.

Dr Ng: An Open and Inclusive Regional Architecture is Key to Maintaining Regional Peace and Progress