Chinese netizens praise Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing as his 7-minute speech in Mandarin goes viral

SINGAPORE: Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing seems to have some newly minted fans, who were impressed after he delivered a seven-minute speech in Mandarin at a conference in China. 

At the Beijing Xiangshan Forum on Sept 16, Mr Chan quoted Mengzi, or Mencius, the Chinese philosopher often referred to as the “Second Sage” of Confucian tradition. 

“As the Chinese philosopher 孟子 famously observed: “以力服人者，非心服也；以德服人者，中心悦而诚服也”. Power may compel others to comply. But in the end, it is trust that truly wins others over,” the Defence Minister said.

Mr Chan had been at the forum at the invitation of his counterpart, China’s Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun, and began his speech in Mandarin, telling attendees that he looked forward to exchanging views toward advancing peace and stability in an increasingly turbulent world.

According to reporting from the South China Morning Post, clips of Mr Chan’s speech have been shared on Chinese social media platforms, including on Baidu and Weixin. Moreover, netizens have praised the minister from Singapore for how well he speaks Mandarin, as well as his familiarity with Chinese thought.

It quoted a Weixin user as saying, “This minister is not an ordinary person; he knows Chinese culture like the back of his hand.”

The report also mentioned that Mr Chan was compared favourably with Pete Hegseth, the United States Secretary of War, in that he had shown more wisdom.

On Quora, a netizen wrote that Mr Chan appeared to be following the example of former Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo: “Sharing something with your intended audience, something which is familiar to them, so you can establish an emotional and psychological bond.”

They added, “This is one of the signs of a great diplomat.”

“He is a deep and strategic thinker who clearly understands Singapore’s vulnerabilities. There are many YouTube videos where Minister Chan answers questions on regional and world developments. Personally found his comments insightful,” added another. 

Mr Chan’s speech at the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum may be found in full here. /TISG

Read also: Minister Chan Chun Sing urges Singapore’s youth to look beyond China’s cities and embrace differences for stronger future ties