China and US must keep talking to better understand each other: Chan Chun Sing

Even if they don't agree, it is vital to know why each party says what it says: Minister

- Hariz Baharudin

Direct dialogue between the United States and China must continue as both sides would benefit from understanding each other's perspectives more deeply despite their differences, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing.

Speaking at a media wrap-up on June 1 at the close of the Shangri-La Dialogue, he added that his private conversations with both delegations indicated that the superpowers do want to understand each other better, but that this would require frank dialogue.

"Even if they don't agree with what the other party says, it is important for them to hear what each other says and, perhaps more importantly, to understand why each party says what they say," said Mr Chan.

His comments followed two days of discussions at the annual security forum in Singapore, which brought together regional and global defence leaders at the Shangri-La Hotel.

The press conference, attended by local and foreign journalists, was dominated by questions about US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's speech at the forum's opening plenary, as well as China's lower-level representation at this year's gathering.

On May 31, the Pentagon chief warned that the threat China posed to its neighbours in the Indo-Pacific was "real", and called on Asian countries to raise their defence spending.

Mr Chan said he read Mr Hegseth's speech "very carefully, more than once" and urged others to consider it in full rather than to focus only on certain parts.