Key topics of the 2023 Shangri-La Dialogue

The increasingly tense relationship between the US and China, and the implications of the conflict in Ukraine for Asia, will be at the heart of the Shangri-La Dialogue, the region's premier security summit, taking place in Singapore this weekend.

According to the Straits Times, the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue this year will take place from June 2-4 in Singapore, with the focus being on discussions on pressing security challenges in the region.

More than 550 delegates from more than 40 countries will attend the three-day forum, including US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu. Austin is scheduled to speak on US leadership in the Indo-Pacific on June 3, while Li will present China’s new security initiatives on June 4.

Shangri-La Hotel before the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue. Photo: ST

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is the top guest at the event and will deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony on June 2. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta will also speak at the conference.

Other delegates expected to attend the dialogue include Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, defense chiefs from Britain, Germany, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea, as well as the chief of staff of the Philippine armed forces.

Ahead of this year’s Dialogue, observers predicted that the US Secretary of Defense and his Chinese counterpart might hold a meeting on the sidelines of the summit. The US proposed a dialogue between the two leaders in May. However, the Pentagon recently confirmed that China had declined the invitation.

Venue of the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in June 2022. Photo: Reuters

Mr Austin said Beijing's rejection of Washington's offer was "regrettable" and said he welcomed any opportunity to engage with his Chinese counterpart.

The last time the US and Chinese defense ministers spoke was at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Cambodia in November 2022. At the time, Wei Fenghe was China’s defense minister. Since then, US Defense Secretary Austin and his counterpart Li Shangfu, who was appointed in March, have not met in person.

Ahead of the event, public opinion expects China and the US to create the necessary conditions for dialogue and communication between the two countries, so that competition does not lead to conflict, towards maintaining peace and promoting prosperous development in the region and the world.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, along with related issues in the field of global security, will also be prominent topics at this year's Shangri-La Dialogue.

Discussions at the forum are expected to cover the evolving security architecture in the Asia-Pacific, including the AUSKUS Treaty between Australia, the UK and the US, as well as the Quad grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the US.

According to VNA/Tin Tuc Newspaper

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