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The United States' presence is vital for stability and progress in the Asia Pacific; at the same time, the Chinese economic engine sustained Asia during the global financial crisis.

This was the perspective shared by Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen in his opening remarks at the 12th Aspen Security Forum in Washington D.C. on Nov. 4.

The session was moderated by Aspen Strategy Group Co-chair and University Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Joseph Samuel Nye Jr.

Asean prospered from the U.S.

Ng said that the success of Asean was very much predicated on the climate of confidence and continuing security that the U.S. provides militarily and economically.

"This twin approach in military and economics powered the United States foreign policy in Asia, and I think the U.S. has benefited –– its foreign direct investment today is about a trillion dollars compared to 20 years ago at USD200 billion (S$265 billion)," he said.

He highlighted that in 2019, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong renewed that Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between former Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew and U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle in 1990 that allowed continued U.S. military presence in Singapore.

The renewal of the MOU, according to Ng, reflected the continued belief by the Singapore government that the U.S.' presence in the Asia Pacific is vital.

He added that PM Lee also said that the U.S. was a dominant power in the Asia Pacific and a stabilising security presence.

Ng added that trade barriers come down often led by the U.S.

"The U.S. leadership in establishing the liberal world order, through its military presence in the world of global financial trade, provided the stability from which Asia prospered," Ng said.

China's focus is to take a rightful place on the global stage

In his opening remarks, Ng described China's growth as "nothing short of transformative".

Ng said that 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty in China; and the country is the largest trading partner of all the Asian countries, with 15 per cent of global exports now, compared to 5 per cent when it ascended into the World Trade Organisation.

He added that China's GDP per capita has also grown about 70 fold across 20 years.

"Once you remember that the Chinese economic engine sustained Asia during the global financial crisis, that rapid economic and social growth will provide the Communist Party of China, political legitimacy for the years ahead," Ng said.

He also highlighted that in the post-Mao period, China's central focus has been driven primarily by its desire to raise standards of living, and more recently, to take a rightful place on the global stage.

"It has embarked on radical economic reforms, but it will guard fiercely the political legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party because it believes that is the only entity that can guarantee progress and prosperity," Ng added.

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Top image via Mindef