Impact of US' Pivot on Asia Strategy

Mr Speaker, the United States is widely acknowledged to have played a key role for the past half a century in providing the security within the Asia-Pacific region that facilitated the development and progress of its regional countries, Singapore included.

Singapore, therefore, welcomes the US' continued engagement of this region to ensure Asia's prosperity and security. In recognition of the US' positive influence in the region, we have allowed US military aircraft and vessels to use our facilities for several decades – first, under our 1990 Memorandum of Understanding and, later, in 2005, under the Strategic Framework Agreement signed by Prime Minister Lee and then-President George W Bush. The recent announcement of the deployment of up to four US Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) to use our military facilities is consistent with these signed agreements.

US ships and planes use our facilities for transit and are not based in Singapore. Their crew members do not live here. Similarly, the LCS crew will live on board their ship for the duration of their deployment, and their family members will not live in Singapore.

The Member asked about China. For China, Singapore recognises that it is a rising power in Asia and a critical security partner of this region. The US-China relationship is the most important relationship that will affect the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Singapore is, therefore, heartened to note that both sides have openly committed to building a cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and benefit. That said, elements of competition and even strategic rivalry can be expected, and much work remains for both countries to foster positive ties.

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Ultimately, Singapore is friends with both, and hopes that the US-China relations flourish. We do not wish to see their relations deteriorate and, indeed, both sides – China and the US – have openly affirmed that the Asia-Pacific region is big enough to accommodate both the US and China. Other nations need not choose better relations with one at the expense of the other. Instead, all stakeholders should work towards an inclusive regional security framework that builds common understanding and cooperation. To achieve this, the ASEAN Defence Ministers and their "Plus" partners are expanding dialogue and enhancing military-to-military interactions through the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting and other multilateral fora.

Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister for his reply. I have two follow-up questions. One relates to the operational exigencies with regard to the US military presence here in Singapore. I understand that in Operation Enduring Freedom, which was the US military's response in Afghanistan in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 80% of US air power stationed in Afghanistan either came through Singapore or was serviced from Singapore. My question is whether in the event of an operational exigency, what would be the expectations or demands on Singapore? Secondly, I am glad that the Minister has affirmed that the Sino-US relationship and their engagement in the region are not a zero-sum game. I would like to ask the Minister how he sees Singapore's role in trying to further this idea that it need not be a zero-sum game.

Mr Speaker, Sir, with regard to the Member's first supplementary question: these are specific figures that he is asking for – whether it is 80% for that particular operation, Enduring Freedom. I hesitate to accept the preamble unless the Member claims that he is really sure of the figures. But if he wants an affirmation that that is the figure, I would have to check it out and I would encourage him to file another Parliamentary Question on it.

Related to the question, if there is such an exigency, it is theoretical and I would hesitate to respond to any theoretical construct. Let me just say broadly, in general terms, the use of military ships and planes falls under two specific agreements. One, as I said, the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding as well as the Strategic Framework Agreement for the Use of Facilities. Those are specific terms in which they can use our facilities, and I think the US has adhered to that over the years.

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How do we see Singapore within the context of US-Sino relations? We are friends of both and we certainly seek that not only in our relationship with either China or the US but indeed, more importantly, the US-China relationship to be a constructive one. As we have often said, the US-China relationship for the next few decades will be the most important relationship that shapes the outcome of the Asia-Pacific region.

In private as well as in public, we have advocated both sides to look for constructive measures, to look for ways in which that relationship can be based on building trust as well as mutually beneficial outcomes. In the public domains and in multi-lateral fora, we have pushed for that. The Shangri-la Dialogue, the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus. We are moving towards more concrete and practical steps for confidence building. One clear example is the exercise to be held next year in Brunei, which Brunei is chairing under the auspices of the ASEAN Defence Ministers-Plus. It will be the first exercise that I know of that will have 18 nations under the Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) and Military Medicine theme in which 18 nations – the 10-plus-8 – will participate in. Singapore is very supportive of this and giving our full assistance to Brunei when they asked for it, and we will participate in that exercise as well.