The 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore brought global defense leaders together to discuss pressing security issues across G20 nations. At the final session, Singaporean Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing offered a perspective on one of East Asia’s most sensitive topics: the Taiwan question.
Chan emphasized that any lasting resolution “will have to be determined by the Chinese people,” urging attendees to consider the deep historical roots of the cross-strait relationship. He said hearing attempts to frame the issue as a simple democracy-versus-autocracy conflict “scares” him.
The minister cautioned against likening the Taiwan question to the war in Ukraine, warning that such analogies risk inflaming tensions and oversimplifying decades of complex ties.
His remarks resonated with a young, globally connected audience keen on solutions that respect local contexts and avoid polarized narratives. As digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and changemakers engage more with international issues, Chan’s call for a historically informed approach to the Taiwan question offers a reminder: global challenges rarely fit neat ideological boxes.
Whether his warning will shape future discussions remains to be seen, but for Chan, the people most closely tied to the Taiwan question have the strongest claim on its resolution.
Reference(s):
Singaporean minister: Resolving Taiwan question up to Chinese people
cgtn.com
