Top officials from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK yesterday said that their 52-year-old Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) pact helped keep things in balance amid regional tensions.
“The longstanding FPDA ... always been an important part of ensuring signaling collective defense in this region,” New Zealand Minister of National Defense Andrew Little said at a news briefing on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
As tensions between the US and China persist, the longstanding relationships among smaller nations are “what keep things in balance,” Little said.
Photo: REUTERS
“I’m comfortable continuing to keep things in balance as different countries including the major powers work out how the relationships are working,” he added.
Singaporean Minister of Defense Ng Eng Hen (黃永宏), Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles, Malaysian Minister for Defense Seri Mohamad Hasan, British Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace and Little discussed the importance of the FPDA as a constructive and peaceful arrangement.
The ministers talked about collaborating in unconventional ways in the face of contemporary security challenges.
“We are five countries who are deeply committed to a rules-based order and promoting peace within our region,” Marles said.
Increased regional involvement by nations in and outside Asia has been a recurring theme at the security meetings, with comments on the subject from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday night and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin echoing the sentiments in a speech yesterday morning.
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