Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen is in Germany to attend the 51st Munich Security Conference (MSC), an annual high-level security conference that brings together foreign affairs and defence leaders from around the world. This year's conference, held from 6 to 8 February 2015, is attended by heads of government, defence and foreign ministers, parliamentarians, military leaders and security experts.

Earlier today (Singapore time), Dr Ng spoke on the topic "Pacific Geopolitics: Reaping Promises and Avoiding Perils", as part of a panel alongside four other speakers: Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Zhen Min, Japanese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Minoru Kiuchi, Korean Chairman of the National Defence Committee, National Assembly Jin Ha Hwang and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for a New American Security and Former US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michèle Flournoy.

Dr Ng stressed the need for the region to work collectively to avoid perils in the Asia-Pacific security landscape, citing increasing military spending as well as the lack of a well-developed security architecture and strong collective will to protect the global commons as examples. At the same time, Dr Ng highlighted reasons for optimism, such as Asia's fundamental pragmatism, multiple stakeholders in the region, and the rise of the Asian middle class.

Other topics which will be discussed during the conference include the ongoing security developments in Europe and the Middle East, the world in 2015, the war on terror, as well as information warfare.

As part of his programme, Dr Ng will also speak at the 7th Munich Young Leaders Round Table on 8 February 2015 on the topic of "Security Challenges for a New Generation". The Munich Young Leaders Round Table, held on the sidelines of MSC, brings together young leaders from governments, think-tanks and the private sector from the US, Europe, the Middle-East as well as selected Asia-Pacific countries to discuss issues related to foreign and security policy.

Dr Ng also held bilateral meetings with a number of leaders, including French Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian and Italian Minister of Defence Roberta Pinotti. Later today and tomorrow, Dr Ng will be meeting German Minister of Defence Dr Ursula von der Leyen, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and UK Secretary of State for Defence Michael Fallon.