S'pore minister fears crisis in July 12 Hague ruling on South China Seas
SINGAPORE Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen is braced for trouble from the July 12 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on China's land grab in the South China Seas.
"I expect the tribunal ruling will escalate actions and reactions," he told reporters on Armed Forces Day.
"The quicker and the more resolute China deals with these issues bilaterally, I think it will calm tensions in the South China Sea," he said.
The court is expected to rule on the validity of China's claims to more than 80 per cent of the South China Sea.
"No responsible government can approach this on the basis that 'Let's hope that nothing happens even though the tensions are up'," Mr Ng said.
He urged China to speed up bilateral negotiations with other countries with claims over the waters to ease regional tensions.
Under Chinese President Xi Jinping, China has reclaimed more than 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares) of land as it more strenuously asserted its South China Sea claims, straining ties with other nations including Vietnam and the Philippines, and exacerbating a rivalry with the US for military influence in the western Pacific.
Britain's vote to exit the European Union reflected a resurgence of nationalism that was adding pressure on countries to shore up their borders, Mr Ng said.
On other matters, Mr Ng said the challenge for Singapore in the face of the Brexit vote, he said, will be to stay neutral and not judge those countries facing an increased desire for national identity, and the growing anti-globalisation sentiment that was driving them to be more assertive about protecting their markets.
"We want to be neutral, in terms of not being judgmental because this is as history goes. But nonetheless, it is a challenge," he said.
As terrorism continues to represent a clear and present threat, Mr Ng, 57, said no country was immune to the defects of home-grown terrorism, and emphasised the need for international cooperation to combat the heightened threat.
To aid counter-terrorism efforts, Mr Ng said the Singapore Armed Forces would set up an Army Deployment Force, a special high-readiness unit to sharpen Singapore's ability to respond to counter-terrorism threats, and also subdue terrorists in the event of an attack.
SINGAPORE Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen is braced for trouble from the July 12 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on China's land grab in the South China Seas.
"I expect the tribunal ruling will escalate actions and reactions," he told reporters on Armed Forces Day.
"The quicker and the more resolute China deals with these issues bilaterally, I think it will calm tensions in the South China Sea," he said.
The court is expected to rule on the validity of China's claims to more than 80 per cent of the South China Sea.
"No responsible government can approach this on the basis that 'Let's hope that nothing happens even though the tensions are up'," Mr Ng said.
He urged China to speed up bilateral negotiations with other countries with claims over the waters to ease regional tensions.
Under Chinese President Xi Jinping, China has reclaimed more than 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares) of land as it more strenuously asserted its South China Sea claims, straining ties with other nations including Vietnam and the Philippines, and exacerbating a rivalry with the US for military influence in the western Pacific.
Britain's vote to exit the European Union reflected a resurgence of nationalism that was adding pressure on countries to shore up their borders, Mr Ng said.
On other matters, Mr Ng said the challenge for Singapore in the face of the Brexit vote, he said, will be to stay neutral and not judge those countries facing an increased desire for national identity, and the growing anti-globalisation sentiment that was driving them to be more assertive about protecting their markets.
"We want to be neutral, in terms of not being judgmental because this is as history goes. But nonetheless, it is a challenge," he said.
As terrorism continues to represent a clear and present threat, Mr Ng, 57, said no country was immune to the defects of home-grown terrorism, and emphasised the need for international cooperation to combat the heightened threat.
To aid counter-terrorism efforts, Mr Ng said the Singapore Armed Forces would set up an Army Deployment Force, a special high-readiness unit to sharpen Singapore's ability to respond to counter-terrorism threats, and also subdue terrorists in the event of an attack.