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SINGAPORE:\u00a0Allowing any party to illegally weaponise an international waterway sets a “dangerous precedent”, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Friday (Apr 17).<\/span><\/p>\n Singapore \u201cfeels this acutely\u201d because it is located along the straits of Malacca and Singapore, which are among the world\u2019s busiest maritime routes, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe cannot afford to go down this path. If we were to do so, we will end up in a more disorderly and unstable world \u2013 one governed by coercion and force rather than rules,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/p>\n It is in the international community\u2019s collective interest to uphold navigational rights and freedoms, and to ensure that critical sea lanes stay open, secure and accessible to all, he noted.<\/span><\/p>\n Mr Wong was speaking at a virtual meeting of around 40 countries to discuss supporting a ceasefire in the Middle East, security cooperation and the reopening and securing of shipping routes.<\/span><\/p>\n Hosted by France and the UK, the meeting aimed to signal to the US that participating countries are ready to play a role in restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allow, Reuters reported.<\/span><\/p>\n The UK prime minister\u2019s office said planning is underway for the possibility of a combined military effort as soon as conditions allow, adding that the international mission will be \u201cstrictly defensive\u201d in nature.<\/span><\/p>\n As the meeting was ongoing, Iran said the <\/span>Strait of Hormuz will be \u201ccompletely open\u201d<\/span> following a <\/span>ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel,<\/span> while US President Donald Trump said the US naval blockade will remain \u201cin full force and effect\u201d until a deal is reached to end the war.<\/span><\/p>\n For weeks after the Middle East conflict broke out in late February, the Strait of Hormuz has been largely closed to other ships, disrupting energy supplies and pushing up prices.<\/span><\/p>\n In 2025, around 20 million barrels of crude oil and oil products passed through the strait every day, making it a <\/span>critical energy chokepoint.<\/span><\/p>\n