Asean will not be put in position to pick between world powers: Ng Eng Hen
[SINGAPORE] ASEAN will continue to maintain its centrality, and will not be put in a position to pick among the world powers, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen at the end of the Shangri-La Dialogue, during which the Indo-Pacific emerged as a buzzword.
The term - which has gained a new lease of life under the Trump administration, and places India front and centre compared to the "Asia-Pacific vision" - has drawn flak from Chinese scholars, who accuse it as a US strategy to constrain China's rise.
"I don't think the re-labelling of the region can affect the security positions of countries. It's not so simple," Dr Ng told reporters in a wrap-up interview on Sunday.
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
Asean
Microsoft bets big on South-east Asia, pledges billions in AI and cloud investments
Magnitude 6.0 quake strikes Philippines, aftershocks and damage expected
Indonesia central bank says SRBI auction will be held twice a week to attract more inflow
Thai police raid illegal bitcoin mining operation
Thailand’s April inflation rises slightly, first time in 7 months
Myanmar junta bans men from applying to work abroad: statement