18 October 2018
- RSIS
- Media Mentions
- Japan’s Largest Warship Visits Singapore on Indo-Pacific Deployment
Japan’s Largest Warship Visits Singapore on Indo-Pacific Deployment
Japan’s largest warship since World War II docked in Singapore on Thursday (Oct 18) as part of its two-month-long deployment to boost maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.
JS Kaga’s arrival coincides with the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore. Freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is expected to be one area of focus during the meeting, especially for defence chiefs from the United States and Vietnam.
“Regarding the military build-up in the South China Sea, I would say the US would most likely bring it up and will probably have support from Vietnam, but I do not believe the majority of ASEAN participants will make that a focal point of the meeting,” said Yang Zi, a senior analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
“When it comes to ASEAN countries, most have opted for economic growth with Chinese investment and the Belt and Road Initiative, while they are taking a less vocal stance publicly against China’s build-up in the South China Sea,” he added.
IDSS / Online
