Anadolu staff
31 May 2026•Update: 31 May 2026
Malaysia's defense chief on Sunday raised concerns over what he called the "growing" practice of double standards in the enforcement of international law, saying that violations are frequently met with inconsistent and selective reactions depending on who is involved.
"International law is often treated as something that exists only on paper, observed strictly by countries of the global majority, but selectively interpreted by stronger powers whenever convenient," Mohamed Khaled Nordin said at this weekend’s Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, local English-language daily The Star reported.
The same double standards are visible globally, where ongoing genocides, war crimes, and violations of international law often get selective reactions depending on who is involved, he argued.
"Institutions such as the United Nations established to uphold stability, multilateralism, and international law are becoming increasingly weakened in the face of geopolitical rivalry," he added.
Speaking at the same event, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi rejected China's allegations that Tokyo is sliding back toward “militarism,” and accused Beijing of rapidly expanding its own military buildup.
"China's external approach and military activities are matters of serious concern for Japan and the international community at the same time," Koizumi said, according to The Japan Times.
"Think about it. There's a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled 'new militarism'? " he added.
Confidence-building measures needed
During the event, Chinese delegate Major Gen. Meng Xiangqing repeated the accusations at Japan.
"I deeply doubt whether a country that has not thoroughly eradicated the toxic legacy of militarism is qualified to talk extensively about defense cooperation on international occasions, and whether it can win the trust of the international community, especially the Asian countries it once invaded," he said, referring to the Manchurian occupation of the 1930s and ‘40s.
China's Foreign Ministry, earlier this month, called on Asia-Pacific countries to be vigilant and "jointly resist the reckless actions of Japan's neo-militarism."
On Saturday, Lt. Gen. Nauman Zakaria, the commander of the Pakistan army's Rocket Force Command, called for confidence-building measures, transparency mechanisms, and technical dialogues among states to reduce misunderstanding and prevent arms races.
He asserted that Indian “militarization,” adversarial rhetoric, and the absence of crisis management mechanisms between the neighbors continue to undermine regional stability.
Tensions between the two longtime rivals, who continue to accuse each other of supporting militant attacks in each other’s territories, have further strained following a four-day war in May 2025.
Indian army chief Gen. Upendra Dwivedi warned on Saturday that the country’s military is prepared to undertake another military operation against Pakistan if the situation warrants it.
Among attendees at this year’s dialogue were Vietnamese President To Lam, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, and New Zealand's newly appointed Defense Minister Chris Penk.
Dong Jun, China's defense minister, skipped the event for a second consecutive year.
