BEIJING – Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Tuesday stressed the importance of engagement between military leaders, saying that their most critical task in this coming decade is to avoid a physical conflict in Asia.

Speaking at the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, Dr Ng referenced ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East, and said interaction between military establishments is vital to avoiding miscalculations and mishaps.

Simultaneous conflicts in Asia, Europe and the Middle East would be catastrophic for the world, he warned.

“A physical conflict in Asia, whatever the rationale or precipitating cause, will be devastating. We must do all we can to avoid it,” he told the audience.

The Xiangshan forum is a high-level security conference akin to Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue. It is attended by defence chiefs, academics and representatives from international organisations.

Dr Ng’s remarks come after an outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas – which has led to increased tensions along religious lines in other countries – in addition to the war in Ukraine. His call also comes as top military leaders from the United States and China have not met in more than a year since then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022, a move that had angered Beijing.

In another development that adds to the complication, China has yet to name a new defence minister after US-sanctioned Li Shangfu was removed on Oct 24. General Li was reportedly investigated for corruption. In China, the defence minister leads military diplomatic engagements, such as meetings with foreign defence leaders.

Open channels of communication such as hotlines can make a difference, especially in moments of crisis, said Dr Ng at a plenary session titled Asia-Pacific Security Architecture: Present and Future.

He noted that Singapore and China signed an agreement in June 2023 to work towards the establishment of a secure defence telephone link.

The US and China have similar bilateral defence lines established, and the hope is that they will find an arrangement to use these lines effectively, he said.

While a “G-2” scenario where the US and China each dominate half of the world in geopolitical influence is fantasy, the world would not be better off if either superpower declines, Dr Ng said.

“We need both a strong US and a strong China if we are to effectively address global challenges.”

What is needed is political commitment and hard work from both countries to improve relations, he said, adding that their differences in ideology, and political and value systems will continue to exist.

The troubled US-China relationship has shown signs of thawing.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on US President Joe Biden in Washington last Friday, which was seen to pave the way for a meeting between Mr Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November.

Dr Ng said China can do more to promote stability in both the region and globally. It must continue to grow economically and further integrate its markets with the rest of the world.

“Yes, it will get harder because of the prevailing climate of distrust and strategic competition. But I believe that China has indigenous strengths that it can draw from, particularly its strengths in Stem capabilities,” he said, referring to the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

China must also continue to promote multilateralism and uphold the rule of law. That is the greatest assurance to other nations, big or small, that China’s growth is inclusive and will lift all boats, he said.

Additionally, China, including its military, must lead to reduce tensions in the region. “Whether China accepts it or not, it is already seen as a dominant power and must therefore act as a benevolent one,” he added.

On the sidelines of the forum, Dr Ng called on the vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, General He Weidong, on Tuesday. During the meeting, Dr Ng and Gen He reaffirmed the warm and friendly bilateral and defence relationships between Singapore and China, and exchanged views on regional security issues of mutual interest.