SINGAPORE: Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said that the world is experiencing a "difficult period", but that all states, including smaller ones, retain agency and responsibility even in a fragmented world.

Mr Chan also said that this is a period of profound change but not a period of "hopelessness".

"We can reinforce what works, adapt what no longer does, and shape new norms for the challenges ahead," he said.

"The only way we lose that agency is if we fail to exercise it."

Mr Chan said this at the 14th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) Sherpa Meeting on Monday (Jan 19).

The meeting, held in Singapore from Jan 18 to Jan 20, is an annual gathering of senior defence officials, high-ranking military officers and non-governmental experts from around the Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.

It is also intended to enhance preparations for the annual IISS SLD, which will take place from May 29 to May 31 this year, the institute said on its website.

Mr Chan, who was delivering a special address at the meeting, said that platforms like Sherpa and the upcoming SLD are "critical for constructive dialogue and decisive action, and avoiding lamentation or resignation".

He offered three propositions to consider as the world navigates these "turbulent or interesting times".

His propositions were: that smaller states build capabilities to stay relevant; that like-minded states uphold rules; and that new norms be developed for emerging challenges.

PROPOSITIONS

On his first proposition, Mr Chan said that while all states must build capabilities to stay relevant, this is especially true for smaller states.

"As the rules-based order recedes, and a more transactional and self-interested world emerges, smaller states – and small states – must build real capabilities," he said.

"This will ensure we remain relevant, and secure our seats at the table."

He cited how the previous rules-based order enabled states like Singapore to "survive and thrive", providing predictability for security and economic activities, and supporting growth and stability.

Mr Chan said that smaller states must devote attention to their own security and relevance.

Irrelevance would force states into "false and dangerous choices", he said.

"If we are not able to speak for ourselves, others will speak for us," he added.

The defence minister also said that Singapore firmly believes that taking sides breeds irrelevance.

Remaining relevant, Mr Chan said, means investing in security, building partnerships, upholding international law and building up military capabilities.

"Strengthening our capabilities allows us to stand on our own feet and maintain relevance," he added.

Moving on to his second proposition, Mr Chan said that all states have the agency and responsibility to uphold rules and norms.

He said that even in the absence of strong leadership, like-minded states can do so, at least at a regional or sectoral level.

Responsibility also does not disappear when global mechanisms weaken, Mr Chan said, adding that it shifts.

"Weakening mechanisms do not justify abandoning the principles they were meant to uphold," he said.

"Coalitions of like-minded countries with shared interests can take the lead."

He added that it is in states’ self-interest to abide by and uphold the rules of the international system.

Continuing to his third proposition, Mr Chan said that states need to develop new norms for emerging challenges, even as they contend with the "tyranny of the current moment".

Mr Chan brought up risks in domains such as artificial intelligence that are "only beginning to surface".

The short-term effects may seem manageable, but the long-term impact could be profound, he said.

He said that this is why guardrails for technology need to be established – not to constrain progress, but to "ensure innovation strengthens security and reduces the risk of miscalculation".

Even where frameworks exist, they have not always kept pace with change, he added.

Mr Chan cited the example of the protection and security of Singapore’s critical underwater infrastructure.

"In such cases, like-minded states must still come together to clarify principles, reinforce international law and update existing frameworks, where necessary," he said.

Wrapping up his final proposition, Mr Chan said that emerging challenges also present new opportunities for countries that are not geographically close to one another to work together.

"Today, challenges in the information, cyber or the critical underwater infrastructure domains present opportunities for countries that are far apart to work together. This is because an attack on one part of such infrastructure is an attack on the entire network, which has implications for all of us," he said.

Mr Chan added that the nature of such attacks meant that states have a responsibility to work together to address emerging challenges, notwithstanding their focus on "challenges that are presented here and now".

"We must never forget the long term, even as we deal with the short term," he said.