The Shangri-La Dialogue will focus on the relationship between China and the US. The dialogue, which is Asia’s top security meeting, will also focus on Ukraine, Gaza, and South China Sea tensions. It will take place from May 31 to June 2 in Singapore.
About 600 delegates from nearly 50 countries will attend the meeting.
The dialogue will open with a keynote address by Filipino President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. He is expected to comment on the new South China Sea rules outlined by China’s coast guard. Marcos has already termed the new rules an escalation and “worrisome.”
The president told reporters that this issue “affects the region and it affects the world.”
The US delegation will speak on Saturday and China on Sunday. This year’s edition also includes a special session by Indonesia’s President-elect Prabowo Subianto. Subianto has said Indonesia is very open to both the US and China.
The Russians will be absent from the security meeting. They have been absent since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. No Israeli delegation has signed up to attend this year.
China had declined to meet the US delegation last year. The US-Sino relationship has improved since then. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, on Friday.
Austin aims to cool tensions with China. However, he will bring up regional and global security issues. He will also reassure Asian allies that Washington is committed to helping the region counter China.
China’s defence ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said on Thursday that Dong is heading to the Singapore conference. However, he did not confirm a meeting with Austin.
“China believes that high-level China-U.S. strategic military communications helps stabilise military-to-military relations. China maintains an open attitude towards this.”
With inputs from Reuters
