China Snubs Asia’s Largest Defense Forum as Tensions with US Simmer

US defence chief warns of China threat as Beijing’s top brass skip summit

China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun was noticeably absent from the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Hegseth Greets ASEAN Counterparts at Defense Summit as China Opts Out

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrived in Singapore on May 30, greeting his counterparts from Southeast Asian nations ahead of a defense summit for which China has opted not to send its defense minister this year. Hegseth is attending the Shangri-la Dialogue, where he said he will “ensure that [the Indo-Pacific] region understands America will be strong” amid rising influence from the Chinese communist regime. “The United States is commi…

Explainer: Why didn’t China send higher-ranking officials to attend 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue?

At the invitation of Singapore, a delegation from the National Defense University of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will attend the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue from Thursday to Monday, and visit relevant military and civilian institutions in Singapore, announced China’s Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang at a regular press conference on Thursday. In response to attention over why the Chinese delegation is being led…

China snubs Asia’s largest defense forum as tensions with US simmer

China will not send its defense minister to this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, shunning a chance to meet his US and Asian counterparts as tensions simmer with Washington.

Chinese defense minister to skip major Asian security summit

BEIJING (Reuters) -- China's defense minister, Dong Jun, will skip a major Asian security forum this weekend at which U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegs

Dong Jun to skip Singapore forum – and a chance to meet US, Asian defence chiefs

Reasons for defence minister’s absence from Shangri-La Dialogue include tariff war, waning interest in ‘Western-centric’ forum, analysts say.