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Mr Chan: Southeast Asia's Engagement of the US, China and Others a Geostrategic Necessity
1 June 2025
Minister for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing spoke at the sixth plenary of the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) today, on the topic "Enhancing Security Cooperation for a Stable Asia-Pacific", alongside Papua New Guinea Minister for Defence Dr Billy Joseph and Sweden Minister for Defence Dr Pål Jonson.
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Minister for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing spoke at the sixth plenary of the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) today, on the topic "Enhancing Security Cooperation for a Stable Asia-Pacific", alongside Papua New Guinea Minister for Defence Dr Billy Joseph and Sweden Minister for Defence Dr Pål Jonson.
Mr Chan stressed that “Competition and cooperation are not mutually exclusive. The greater the competition, be it in security or economic realms, the more we need guardrails to ensure that competition does not descend into conflict."
In his speech, Mr Chan emphasised that international cooperation and effective diplomacy starts with domestic confidence. He said, “externalising one’s domestic issues cannot be the solution to one’s domestic challenges.”
Mr Chan highlighted "all states, big and small, have agency and also responsibilities to uphold the global economic and security order for our common benefits." He added that the strategic context of our region is such that “China’s presence is a geostrategic reality; The US’ engagement of Southeast Asia is a geostrategic policy; and if so, Southeast Asia’s engagement of the US, China, and others must be our geostrategic necessity.”
After speaking at the plenary, Mr Chan hosted a Ministerial Roundtable.
In addition, Mr Chan also met with Sweden Minister for Defence Dr Pål Jonson, and Indian Armed Forces Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.
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