Singapore asked relevant parties to reduce tensions in the East Sea: 10th Xiangshan Forum
WVR - On November 1, speaking to the press in Beijing (China), Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen stated that relevant parties need to reduce tensions in the East Sea.
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| Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen calls on all sides to restrain in the East Sea. (Source: Reuters) |
Speaking to the press while attending the 10th Xiangshan Forum (Beijing, China) earlier this month, Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen stated that relevant parties need to reduce tensions in the East Sea, including escalating tensions between China and the Philippines.
He proposed promoting negotiations on an effective, efficient and binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) to resolve the East Sea issue. He stated: "The East Sea may be the cause and agent of conflict, but it is not a difficult problem to solve if there is political will”.
Singapore's Defense Minister also called upon China to take the lead in reducing tensions in the region. He warned that a conflict, like in Ukraine or the Middle East, would be devastating for the future of the region.
He also wants China and the US to continue maintaining contacts for crisis management. He emphasized: “What happened in Europe and the Middle East should never happen here. We must do everything we can to avoid that”.
According to Singaporeean Defense Minister, all parties have a responsibility to participate to reduce the risk of miscalculation in the region. He welcomed the international and regional rules that have been adopted to govern encounters at sea. Mr. Ng Eng Hen said they should be expanded to include the coast guards, which frequently confronted each other in disputed waters.
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