The 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue opened on the evening of the 29th in Singapore. Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong stated in his speech that small and medium-sized countries are facing increasing pressure, being forced to choose sides.
Vo Van Thuong said that the world is facing multiple risks and uncertainties, with increasingly close connections but also increased fragility, and worsening issues of trust deficit. He mentioned the global challenges include the weakening of international rules and laws, crises in development models such as economic slowdown and climate change, as well as a crisis of trust between nations.
He said: “The three major crises facing the world today are not necessarily realities we are forced to accept.” He called for strengthening international law, initiating dialogue, and enhancing transparency.
The annual three-day “Shangri-La Dialogue” is being held in Singapore. Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun is absent for the second consecutive year, with Beijing only sending a delegation mainly consisting of PLA experts and scholars, led by National Defense University professor Meng Xiangqing.
Most other countries are represented by their defense chiefs, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, as well as defense ministers from France, the UK, Malaysia, the Philippines, and others.
This year, the Taiwan issue, South China Sea situation, Middle East conflicts, and the U.S. strategic focus in the Indo-Pacific region have become the most closely watched topics.
The Shangri-La Dialogue, organized by the UK’s International Institute for Strategic Studies, was founded in 2002 and is named after its annual venue at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore. This year’s meeting will continue until May 31.
The dialogue will feature six plenary sessions, two ministerial roundtables, three special sessions, and a special address.