[Tee tiong huat]

SINGAPORE: The city-state’s new Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing delivered a clear call for profound involvement and collaboration between China, the United States, and regional countries, cautioning that worldwide confidence and stability are contingent on sincere discussions and genuine negotiation, not hot air and inflated language.

Speaking after the yearly Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defence conference initiated by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, Chan stressed that “every opportunity possible” should be seized to foster meaningful conversations among global powers, Breaking Defense reported.

“Having spoken with both the US and the Chinese, I think both sides will benefit from a deeper understanding of each other’s positions,” Chan said at a media session on Sunday. “This way, we don’t oversimplify complex issues or seek simplistic solutions.”

But Chan highlighted that such discussions must go beyond superficial peacekeeping or mediation.