Major Powers Must Meet Higher Expectations from Smaller Nations: Chan

Chan Chun Sing has urged major powers to embrace heightened expectations from smaller nations as a means of fostering stability in the region. Speaking on matters of international relations, the Singapore minister emphasised that great powers carry disproportionate influence over regional security dynamics and should wield that influence with greater restraint and consideration for smaller states' concerns.

At the heart of Chan's remarks is the concept of the "security dilemma"—the self-perpetuating cycle whereby defensive measures by one nation prompt reactive responses from others, escalating tensions despite no deliberate aggressive intent. He contended that resolving this structural problem requires a fundamental shift in how countries conceptualise success in geopolitical competition.

"The definition of winning needs to be rethought," Chan suggested, noting that zero-sum approaches to international rivalry exacerbate insecurity across the region. Rather than viewing strategic gains in purely competitive terms, major powers should consider how their actions affect the stability and prosperity of neighbouring smaller nations.

The remarks reflect Singapore's long-standing position as a small, open economy dependent on regional peace and predictable international conduct. They underscore the island nation's advocacy for a rules-based regional order and the responsible exercise of power by larger states.