Not in S'pore's interest to see it as zero-sum game: Chan Chun Sing on whether more US & China ships in SEA make region safer or more dangerous

Minister for Defence, Chan Chun Sing, was at the Munich Security Conference 2026 Maritime Security Spotlight on Feb. 13, 2026.

The Munich Security Conference is an annual high-level security conference that brings together heads of government, defence and foreign ministers, parliamentarians, military leaders, and security experts from around the world.

At the Maritime Security Spotlight, Chan discussed issues like the greatest threat to Singapore's maritime security, as well as how to navigate a time when cooperation is fraying.

Chan said that while it would be helpful to pinpoint only one thing he was concerned about, Chan noted that the world was "not as simple as we wish it to be".

He talked about the various types of challenges and divided these into three clusters. Enduring, emerging, and evolving challenges.

The enduring challenge is establishing a set of international norms. Emerging challenges are challenges that are not under the "tyranny of the urgent", but if ignored, will lead to more fires to fight in the future.

Evolving challenges had to do with technology, and he cited the "use of unmanned systems to present both challenges and opportunities".

Depending on which country and which part of the world one is from, the most pressing challenges will be different, he noted.

U.S. & China's navy presence in Southeast Asia

Chan was also asked about the U.S. and China relationship. Noting that both superpowers are sending "more and more" navy ships to Southeast Asia, Chan was asked if this situation makes Southeast Asia safer or more dangerous.

Chan said that from Singapore's perspective, this was not a zero-sum game.

"If we think about it logically, the interests of both China and US converge in Southeast Asia. Both countries have a shared interest to make sure that the safety and security of the ships going through this part of the region is well taken care of."

He said all the stakeholders, including the U.S. and China, that use the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea have a shared interest to contribute, provided they have a shared understanding of the framework.

He then pointed to how countries in this region must take the lead to establish that framework to welcome partnerships with these stakeholders, so even if there are incidents, they will be well managed.

He also emphasised how important it is to change the conception of maritime security from a geographically bound concept, as many of the problems of today transcend boundaries.

Image from MINDEF