Speech by Minister For Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, at the Opening Ceremony of the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) Asia 2017

Senior Minister of State for Defence, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman,
Permanent Secretaries,
Chief of Defence Force,
Service Chiefs,
Directors-General,
Organising Chairman,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction
    
Yesterday was the International Maritime Review (IMR), and it could not have escaped the notice of President Tony Tan and the leaders here, how thankful we are for the efforts that you have made in bringing your ships and your sailors to join in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s 50th birthday bash. It is a really special occasion and I want to thank you for taking the time and effort (to attend the IMR). I know that some of you have also brought your families and I hope that as a token of our appreciation, the RSN are good hosts and show you a bit of Singapore that you otherwise may not have time for. I hope your families and your sailors will enjoy Singapore.

Let me wish a warm welcome to all of you and to the 11th International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) Asia, which Experia Chairman Mr Vincent Chong has just said, is the leading defence exhibition in Asia. It now attracts leaders and their delegations from over 60 countries and nearly 10,000 trade visitors and maritime professionals.

Value of IMDEX Asia

IMDEX Asia has indeed grown in scale and value for its participants over the years, but I do not need to emphasise to this seafaring community that the importance of maritime trade in this region has existed since antiquity for the surrounding countries here and indeed the whole of Asia. The seas around us are strategic and will remain so far into the future, despite the increasing connectivity through alternate land and air routes. Established maritime routes not only bring in trade, but in our collective histories, entered migrant people and through them, new ideas and influences, even new religions. In particular, South East Asian countries are acutely aware that colonisation of their countries came from the sea during the 16th to the 19th century.

Since then, Asia has progressed and shifted the global centre of gravity eastwards. Today, the Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) member states are of course independent and able to chart their own destinies. But the strategic importance of the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait remain, with Singapore at the confluence of both waterways which are vital arteries for trade between Asia and the rest of the world -- about one-quarter of the world's traded goods and a quarter of all oil carried by sea passes through these waterways annually.

Singapore's huge investments into building maritime facilities as well as the RSN and other maritime security agencies therefore underscore our deep appreciation and recognition that these sea lines of communications, or SLOCs, must remain open and stable for all to use -- SLOCs are the global commons which we and all other stakeholders must collectively protect and preserve. Integral to these collective efforts is dialogue and cooperation supported by the institutionalisation and acceptance of a rules-based order by all countries. And this is the reason why the International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC) was incorporated into IMDEX Asia in 2009, to provide navies and other maritime agencies a platform to exchange ideas and promote collaboration. Similarly, the International Naval Engineering Conference (INEC), started since 2013, enables participants to exchange new developments in naval technology and innovation. I am glad that more than 30 Navy Chiefs, Vice Chiefs and Coast Guard Directors-General, as well as 28 warships from 20 different countries are at IMDEX Asia to enhance these meetings.

Importance of Maritime Trade and the RSN

We all recognise that the seas have been strategic over the past two millennia. For the 21st century, how will the seas affect the lives of billions of residents surrounding it? Here, there is much cause for optimism, if we work smart and together. Maritime trade for the Asia-Pacific has indeed grown exponentially and brought wealth to its nations. Today, more than 50% of the global container traffic now moves through the Asia-Pacific. Singapore saw an increase of 20% over the last decade -- from 480 million tonnes in 2006 to almost 600 million tonnes in 2016. Pari passu with this growth of commercial shipping and indeed because of it, to protect their interests, ASEAN countries, Australia, China and India have all increased the strength of their navies, with naval budgets in the Asia-Pacific region expected to increase by 60% through 2020. According to AMI International, by 2030, there will be approximately 800 more warships and submarines operating within the Asia-Pacific region compared to today.
 
To be effective, the RSN needs to keep pace with this growth of navies in Asia. In 2013, my Ministry had previously revealed its plans to acquire two Type-218SG submarines for the RSN. Progress for these two Type-218s are progressing as planned, to be delivered to the RSN in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Today, on the RSN's 50th anniversary, it is fitting for me to announce another important step in the RSN's modernisation effort. In addition to the two previously announced, the RSN will acquire two more Type-218SG submarines to replace its older submarines, with an expected delivery from 2024 onwards. At steady state, the four Type-218SGs in service will complement each other in maintenance, logistics and operations, and have better capabilities to protect our SLOCs.
 
Common Security Challenges for the Region and the Way Forward

Individual countries need to work together, even as each appropriately strengthens their navies and other maritime security agencies. But, we must at the same time build up collective platforms to address common security challenges.    

Transnational threats from terrorism, piracy, illegal smuggling of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), drugs and human trafficking cannot be addressed adequately by any one country, no matter how well-resourced and capable their security assets. In particular, ISIS terrorists present a clear and present threat to this region. Over 1,000 Southeast Asian fighters are now in Iraq and Syria fighting for their cause. Some of these fighters will return to our region, bringing with them their extremist ideologies and expertise. Just last year, the Katibah Nusantara (KN), otherwise known as the Malay Archipelago Unit for ISIS, was formally launched with the sole purpose of establishing an ISIS-like caliphate in Southeast Asia.

These terrorist groups have and will continue to use maritime routes to conduct and expand their reach. Security agencies in Indonesia and the Philippines are aware of terrorist camps in their home countries, which smuggle people and weapons through the maritime networks. The ISIS-linked Abu Sayaff Group (ASG), for example, threatens merchant shipping in the Sulu Sea through piracy and kidnap-for-ransom attacks. Since early 2016, the Sulu Sea has witnessed 15 maritime attacks and over 60 innocent crew kidnapped by the ASG. If left unchecked, this could result in other groups using piracy as a means of funding terrorist ventures.

To deal with this threat, these two countries and Malaysia announced the joint Sulu Seas Patrols in March this year. Singapore welcomes the efforts by Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines to deal with maritime terrorism and kidnapping incidents in their waters. Singapore has offered the assistance of our Information Fusion Centre in Changi Naval Base to assist in this important effort. These initiatives can have a large impact. For example, the Malacca Straits Patrol, involving Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, have reduced piracy, robbery, kidnapping and smuggling incidents considerably since it started in 2006.  

As the seas around us witness more commercial and military activities, we also need to facilitate practical procedures and platforms to prevent or manage unintended incidents at sea. A good example is Brunei's proposal, adopted at the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting, to establish a Direct Communication Link, or hotline, to maintain open channels of communication among the ASEAN member states in the event of emergencies. The endorsement of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, or CUES, by the Western Pacific Naval Symposium in 2014 is another practical mechanism to reduce the risk of misunderstanding and mishaps at sea.

Moving ahead, we should explore building on the success of CUES between navy ships to expand it to include coast guard and non-military ships. The RSN is also seeking to develop a code of conduct for submariners to enhance underwater and submarine operations safety. ASEAN and China should also expeditiously complete a framework for the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea this year, a significant milestone that could further reduce the risks of conflicts at sea.

Ladies and gentlemen, the collective aspiration for all the countries represented here and beyond is for our surrounding seas to stay calm and fair winds to bring our ships safely to their destinations and back. To maintain these virtuous conditions of freedom of navigation and growing trade, we must be able to find common ground to strengthen maritime security through constructive dialogues, cooperation, practical solutions, and common rules in dealing with security challenges we face. I am confident that your interactions will bring us closer to this common goal.
    
Conclusion

On this note, I am happy to declare IMDEX Asia 2017 open and I wish all of you a fruitful conference. Thank you very much.