Written Reply by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen to Parliamentary Question on Suggestions Raised at ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef: To ask the Minister for Defence whether he can provide details of the "no first use of force" agreement and the setting up of "hotlines to quickly defuse tensions at sea" suggestions which were raised at the recent ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen: Madam Speaker, the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) is an important platform for strategic dialogue amongst the ASEAN Defence Ministers and practical cooperation amongst our militaries.  During the 7th ADMM which Brunei hosted in early May 2013, there was a good exchange of views on international and regional security issues, including on the heightened tensions in the South China Sea. While Singapore is not a claimant state and takes no sides on the merits of the various claims in the South China Sea, we have a strong interest in ensuring that all claims are settled peacefully and in accordance with international law, including the United Nation Convention on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS). As a maritime nation, we also have a fundamental interest in maintaining freedom of navigation and stability in the South China Sea.

At the 7th ADMM, practical measures were suggested to enhance confidence and promote stable military-to-military relations in the South China Sea.  Vietnam had proposed the idea for a "non first-use of force" agreement amongst the claimant states, which gives practical effect to the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes as articulated in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC). The TAC has been acceded to by ASEAN countries and its dialogue partners. Brunei had suggested setting up hotlines to keep the channels of communication open so as to avoid escalation and miscalculation. Madam Speaker, MINDEF is supportive of these ideas as they will help to reduce tensions in the South China Sea.