“Disruption in any of these maritime corridors triggers ripple effects across continents, impacting trade flows, military deployments, and diplomatic posture,” he said.
Singapore’s Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing said China missed an opportunity to have its voice heard by not sending its own defense minister, but it was still incumbent upon others to reach out to Beijing to try and build bridges and prevent misunderstandings.
Singapore has close ties to both the U.S. and China, and is part of the regionally influential Association of Southeast Asian Nations along with the Philippines and others.
“It is in the interest of all of us to work with China, and it is also in the interest of China to work with everyone else in the world,” he said. “It is in the interest of all of us to have a deeper understanding of China’s fears, concerns and aspirations, just as it is important for China to understand how the rest of the world perceives China.”