RI's trouble threatens sea-lanes: Singapore<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AP): If Indonesia's instability inspires a flood of
\nrefugees, the safety of vital shipping lanes could be threatened,
\nSingapore's defense minister said in an interview published on
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
Tony Tan, who is also deputy prime minister, said that all the
\nJapanese ministers he had met during a trip to Japan last week
\nhad expressed great concern about Indonesia, and feared a
\nresumption of rioting.<\/p>\n
\"If there is instability and lawlessness in Indonesia, this
\ncould lead to, for example, a greater outflow of illegal
\nimmigrants as well as threaten the safety of passage of ships in
\nthe Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea,\" Tan said in The
\nSunday Times.<\/p>\n
\"This would be of very great concern to a trading nation like
\nJapan, as well as to Singapore and other countries,\" Tan said.<\/p>\n
He said Japan and Singapore had agreed to increase exchanges
\nbetween their armies and navies, and send more officers to
\nparticipate in each other's training courses.<\/p>\n
\"At this stage, I do not get the impression that they are
\nlooking for their armed forces to play an external role beyond
\nthe boundaries of Japan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Tan also said that Japanese officials were not concerned about
\nthe increasing defense ties between Singapore and China but were
\ncurious about Chinese Defense Minister Chi Haotian's recent visit
\nto Singapore.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ris-trouble-threatens-sea-lanes-singapore-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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