Indonesian Defense Minister Calls For Compromise Between US, China To Avert Conflict

Sumaira FH Published June 03, 2023 | 05:50 PM

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2023) Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto on Saturday called on the US and Chinese leaders to show prudence and seek compromise to make sure the existing tensions do not grow into a military conflict.

The minister argued that the security situation in the Indo-Pacific, especially in East Asia, is "dominated primarily" by the tensions caused by China's rise to a great world power and the US role "as a preeminent global power."

"I am convinced that the leaders of both China and the United States... will resolve these conflicts through compromise, cooperation and with humanism, resulting in a peaceful resolution of their differences. I am convinced that through leadership and wisdom their great statesmanship will prevail amongst the leaders of these great powers," Subianto said at the Shangri-La Dialogue defense meeting in Singapore, as aired by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

He also recalled that both China's centuries-long history and the Western civilization have "contributed to the great advance and progress of humankind," so the leaders should rely on "compromise and coexistence" as "the only viable route to prosperity.

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"History teaches us when a rising great power meets a preeminent global power tensions do arise and the historical record shows many of these conflicts result in open conflict, kinetic conflict," Subianto said, adding that modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, mean that confrontation may "very quickly result in a dangerous descent to disaster."

Subianto also called himself an "eternal optimist" as the only alternative to the optimistic view is the option he does not dare to consider.

The Shangri-La Dialogue, held for the twentieth time, is attended by the defense ministers of the Asia-Pacific region, as well as high-level delegations from the European Union and international organizations. Russia is not participating in the forum for the second consecutive year: in 2022, the organizers withdrew Russia's invitation on the eve of the summit, while this year the country received no invitation at all.