SINGAPORE, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Military transparency plays a crucial role in avoiding misunderstandings and increasing trust and confidence for the Asia-Pacific, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Teo Chee Hean said here on Sunday.

    Teo spoke at the 8th Asia Security Summit (Shangri- La Dialogue) that military transparency "is not an end in itself but a means to peace and stability," and it needs to operate at three levels, namely disclosure armaments and arsenals, statements of strategic intent, cooperative and inclusive action.

    He said that the increasing acceptance and practice of the three levels of transparency have enabled the Asia-Pacific region thus far to gradually foster a norm of dialogue, a culture of defense cooperation, and the acceptance of international legal mechanisms to resolve disputes peacefully.

    "This has built the foundation for a regional security architecture that is inclusive of regional stakeholders, transparent about capabilities and intentions, and serious about cooperation based on dialogue and the rule of international law," Teo said.

    He said that states in the Asia-Pacific have real opportunities to build trust and enhance cooperation, for the benefit of all.

    "If we get it right, the region can harness its cooperative energies to mitigate differences that may arise from time to time, and achieve our objective of enduring stability and cooperation," he said.

    The annual Asia Security Summit, organized by the London International Institute for Strategic Studies, is being held in Singapore from May 29 to 31.

    The forum brings together about 22 ministerial-level guests, along with parliamentarians, military leaders and security experts from more than 27 countries and regions for discussions on regional security issues and defense cooperation.