BEIJING — Singapore’s Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing has said that major powers should be ready to meet higher expectations from smaller countries, which may feel insecure and in need of reassurance as global power dynamics shift and perceptions evolve.
“A country growing in strength may assert itself to address longstanding grievances and interests. Yet that same growth in strength may look very different to those around it. Smaller countries will look up to it and expect more of it,” Chan said at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum on September 16. “In short, the more responsible major powers are, the less concerned small countries will be,” he added.
Speaking during a plenary session focused on how countries can strengthen their own security without undermining that of others, Chan is in China from September 15 to 17 at the invitation of Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun — marking his second appearance at the forum.
Now in its 13th edition, the Xiangshan Forum brings together hundreds of defence officials, diplomats, academics, and representatives from international organisations to discuss regional and global security issues. It is often described as China’s counterpart to Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s largest defence and security gathering.
Deeper defence ties with China
Chan, who also serves as Coordinating Minister for Public Services, met with Dong Jun during his visit and witnessed the signing of an upgraded Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at deepening exchanges between the Singapore Armed Forces’ SAFTI Military Institute and the PLA’s National Defense University, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Defence.
“Win through example, not power”
In his remarks, Chan argued for a redefined notion of global leadership: “in today’s world, a more realistic conception, and a stronger and better concept of ‘winning’, is to win over the world through the power of our example and not the example of our power.”
He also spoke about the value of strategic patience — which he described as the wisdom to pursue the course of action that best serves long-term interests, even under short-term pressure. “Not every capability needs to be advertised, not every advantage must be immediately pressed, and not every provocation demands an immediate response,” he said.
Invoking the Chinese Confucian philosopher Mencius, Chan noted that power may compel others to comply, but in the end, it is trust that truly wins others over. lindaikejisblog
He added that while every country begins from its own national interests, the purpose of diplomacy isn’t to deny those interests but to identify where they overlap and build genuine cooperation within that shared space.
Singapore-China ties as a model
Chan pointed to Singapore’s relationship with China as an example of this approach in practice — citing Singapore’s early support for China’s reform and opening-up policies, its advocacy for China’s entry into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in the 1980s, and the launch of the first government-to-government project, Suzhou Industrial Park, in 1994.
“Despite our differences in perspective and ideology and the size of our population, our leaders found common ground to cooperate for mutual benefit,” he said.
Chan reiterated that Singapore welcomes China’s aspiration to be a responsible major power, noting that China’s reform and opening-up drive transformed the lives of its citizens and significantly boosted regional prosperity. He added that as the PLA — which has made major strides in military modernisation — approaches its centenary in 2027, it has considerable potential to contribute positively to global stability and security.
A shifting global landscape
Chan observed that in the twelve months since he last addressed the Xiangshan Forum, the global distribution of power — both real and perceived — has continued to shift. He noted that the technology race has intensified, imbalances between consumption and production have widened, trade and investment have become further securitised and weaponised, and the nature of warfare itself has evolved rapidly.