China and its Asian neighbours must work at resolving conflicts, as war in the region would have an impact on container shipping, said Singapore’s defence minister, Ng Eng Hen, yesterday.

Dr Ng was speaking at the opening of the 13th International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference Asia (IMDEX Asia) in Singapore yesterday.

“Thirty percent of the world’s seaborne trade passes through the South China Sea each year,” he said. “One quarter of global oil trade and one third of global container trade passes through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. We sit astride a key sea line of communication, and if conflict were to destabilise our region, it would have far-reaching implications.”

Read More