https://www.scmp.com/rss/322724/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Maria Siow Maria Siow New Zealand’s defence minister was sitting in the front row at Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue when his US counterpart called his country a “freeloader”. “If I’m being honest, 2 per cent is not enough,” Pete Hegseth declared from the stage on Saturday, referring to Wellington’s plan to double its defence spending as a percentage of gross domestic product. “So 2 per cent is freeloading.” But analysts counter that this label ignores the Trump administration’s exploitative track record, from taking... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355774/new-zealand-rejects-us-freeloader-swipe-over-defence-spending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355774/new-zealand-rejects-us-freeloader-swipe-over-defence-spending?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:09:13 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The Shangri-La Dialogue became known over the years as a platform for China and the United States to vent their sharp differences. That both sides dialled down the rhetoric at Asia’s top security conference in Singapore last weekend was not entirely unexpected. It reflected a warmer tone at the recent Beijing summit between presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, characterised by consensus on a new strategic framework of “constructive strategic stability”, signalling more diplomacy and less... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3355639/shangri-la-dialogue-has-outlived-its-usefulness-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3355639/shangri-la-dialogue-has-outlived-its-usefulness-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia is unlikely to come close to a US call for Asian partners to spend 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product on defence, analysts have said, as Putrajaya tries to modernise an ageing military without overwhelming public finances or appearing to align with Washington’s China strategy. Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the US had “every right” to ask allies to raise defence expenditure, but stressed that Malaysia faced limits as a developing economy. “For a country like Malaysia,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355559/we-are-small-country-why-malaysia-resisting-us-defence-spending-call?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355559/we-are-small-country-why-malaysia-resisting-us-defence-spending-call?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:15:46 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth told Asia’s biggest military conference that his country’s relations with China were “better than they’ve been in many years”, as he adopted a much less strident tone than at the same event 12 months ago. “President Trump and this administration seek a stable peace, fair trade and respectful relations with China,” Hegseth said on Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The two countries agreed to “build a constructive relationship of strategic... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3355553/hegseth-tones-down-china-rhetoric-return-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3355553/hegseth-tones-down-china-rhetoric-return-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:00:11 +0000 SCMP Plus SCMP Plus US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth praised stabilised ties with China at the recently concluded Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, as Chinese delegate Major General Meng Xiangqing warned against hegemonism and Japanese military expansion, while Japan’s Defence Minister dismissed claims of a “new militarism”. Read the full text of all three speeches below. Major General Meng Xiangqing: Remarks by Professor Meng Xiangqing, Head of the PLA Delegation of Experts and Scholars, National Defence U... by... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3355502/shangri-la-dialogue-what-china-us-and-japan-said?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3355502/shangri-la-dialogue-what-china-us-and-japan-said?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 04:11:46 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Members of Asean might have conflicting claims in the South China Sea but mutual trust existed in the bloc, Philippine defence chief Gilberto Teodoro Jnr said on Sunday, singling out Beijing as the biggest obstacle to a code of conduct in the disputed waterway. Teodoro delivered strong words for China in the final panel of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, taking aim at Manila’s long-time maritime rival for disregarding an international arbitral tribunal, which ruled in favour... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355456/philippines-says-beijing-main-hurdle-south-china-sea-code-conduct?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355456/philippines-says-beijing-main-hurdle-south-china-sea-code-conduct?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 08:02:02 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Malaysia’s Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin slammed the international community’s “muted” response on Sunday at a security forum over Norway’s decision to scrap a missile deal with Kuala Lumpur. In a charged speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Khaled said the “deafening silence” on Oslo’s cancellation of the agreement sent a message that certain countries were “simply above scrutiny”, questioning if global rules were subject to the will of bigger powers. Earlier this month, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355452/malaysia-blasts-conspicuously-muted-response-over-axed-norway-missile-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355452/malaysia-blasts-conspicuously-muted-response-over-axed-norway-missile-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 06:45:23 +0000 Alcott Wei,Amber Wang Alcott Wei,Amber Wang Japan’s defence minister has rejected suggestions that his country was reviving its militaristic past, telling a regional security conference that changes to its defence strategy would allow it to play a new cooperative role. Shinjiro Koizumi also used his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday to state that Tokyo opposed “unilateral changes to the status quo by force or coercion”, a comment believed to refer to Beijing’s maritime activities, including in the East and South China Seas, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355447/japanese-defence-minister-rejects-new-militarism-label-china-shangri-la-speech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355447/japanese-defence-minister-rejects-new-militarism-label-china-shangri-la-speech?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 05:35:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters India ⁠has signed ⁠a deal with Vietnam under which it will supply BrahMos missiles which it has jointly ‌developed with Russia and is in “final stages” for a similar deal with Indonesia, India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on ⁠Saturday. India has a strong commitment ‌to Asean nations, Singh said, without disclosing more details ‌of the deals related to BrahMos. Singh ⁠was ⁠speaking at Asia’s premier defence forum, ‌the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. India, which has been... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355438/india-seals-brahmos-missile-deal-vietnam-eyes-indonesia-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355438/india-seals-brahmos-missile-deal-vietnam-eyes-indonesia-next?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 02:51:47 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau The world can learn diplomatic lessons from Asean, East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta has said in a strongly worded rebuke to existing global power structures. At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Ramos-Horta, who leads the newest and 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, argued that the bloc epitomised how dialogue could prevent conflict and yield dividends. He acknowledged that Asean was “not heaven on earth”, achieving consensus was “frustratingly slow”... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355429/sustained-security-cant-come-barrel-gun-east-timors-jose-ramos-horta?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355429/sustained-security-cant-come-barrel-gun-east-timors-jose-ramos-horta?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 14:25:40 +0000 Amber Wang,Alcott Wei,Meredith Chen Amber Wang,Alcott Wei,Meredith Chen The world faces challenges from “hegemonism” and “bloc confrontation” driven by “certain countries”, China’s delegation to Asia’s premier security conference said on Saturday, without directly naming the United States. Major General Meng Xiangqing, the head of the Chinese delegation to the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, sent the warning during a special session on managing threats to strategic stability. Meng, a professor at the People’s Liberation Army National Defence University, also used... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355425/china-dials-down-rhetoric-regional-risks-persist-shangri-la-dialogue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355425/china-dials-down-rhetoric-regional-risks-persist-shangri-la-dialogue?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 13:30:41 +0000 Kolette Lim,Jean Iau Kolette Lim,Jean Iau Seventeen countries have agreed to collaborate on defence strategies for critical marine infrastructure such as undersea cables, an effort that analysts warn may be undermined by the absence of superpower involvement. At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, defence ministers and representatives from these countries attended the launch of the Guiding Principles for Underwater Infrastructure Defence Exchanges (Guide), which aims to bring countries together to explore potential areas... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355411/17-nations-launch-pact-protect-vital-undersea-cables-amid-us-china-absence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355411/17-nations-launch-pact-protect-vital-undersea-cables-amid-us-china-absence?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 09:55:59 +0000 Jean Iau,Kolette Lim Jean Iau,Kolette Lim America’s latest defence strategy worryingly downgraded the importance of the Indo-Pacific, a US senator warned on Saturday, even as the Pentagon chief delivered a speech reassuring allies of commitment at a defence forum in Singapore. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a staunch critic of the US-Israeli war on Iran, told a media round table at the Shangri-La Dialogue that she was concerned the Trump administration was being distracted by conflict in other theatres that would dent commitment to the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355408/us-senator-warns-indo-pacific-risks-hegseth-stresses-quiet-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355408/us-senator-warns-indo-pacific-risks-hegseth-stresses-quiet-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 08:09:57 +0000 Amber Wang,Alcott Wei,Albee Zhang Amber Wang,Alcott Wei,Albee Zhang US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth softened his tone towards China in his speech on Saturday to the Shangri-La defence forum compared with the previous year. Speaking two weeks after the meeting between presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing, Hegseth also adopted a cautious stance on US arms sales to Taiwan when questioned about the highly sensitive issue, and did not mention the island at all in his speech. Although he still criticised China’s military build-up, unlike last year he... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355401/how-us-defence-chief-hegseth-softened-his-tone-towards-china-after-trump-xi-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355401/how-us-defence-chief-hegseth-softened-his-tone-towards-china-after-trump-xi-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 06:40:24 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday morning, just two weeks after a summit between the presidents of China and the United States. The speech was expected to be a barometer of the summit’s outcomes between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump. Here are some of the main points from Hegseth’s address. Tough on China, but less confrontational Hegseth referred to China’s “historic military build-up” and reaffirmed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355391/clear-eyed-china-takeaways-pete-hegseths-shangri-la-speech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355391/clear-eyed-china-takeaways-pete-hegseths-shangri-la-speech?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 02:43:47 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account below. Get real-time updates and exclusive reporting. Subscribe now with great savings to stay ahead. Defence ministers, military chiefs, diplomats and analysts have gathered in Singapore this weekend for the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, where regional security challenges will be discussed and a flurry of bilateral meetings held. It is expected to provide the first indication of US policy direction... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355219/shangri-la-dialogue-live-us-defence-chief-pete-hegseth-address-regional-security-forum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355219/shangri-la-dialogue-live-us-defence-chief-pete-hegseth-address-regional-security-forum?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 00:13:56 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Vietnam’s leader To Lam on Friday struck a sombre tone at a summit when he warned of three foundational crises converging to cause global instabilities – those of international order, development models and strategic trust. He was delivering the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s premier defence forum, in his first speech on Vietnam’s foreign policy to an international audience since being elected president in April. Speaking to defence ministers, military chiefs,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355374/shangri-la-dialogue-vietnams-lam-warns-3-crises-converging-asia-pacific-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355374/shangri-la-dialogue-vietnams-lam-warns-3-crises-converging-asia-pacific-security?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 14:56:17 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China and British delegations discussed concrete plans to strengthen military engagement during talks on Friday on the sidelines of a major security event in Singapore. Major General Meng Xiangqing, who led the Chinese delegation to Asia’s largest defence summit, the Shangri-La Dialogue, met United Kingdom military officials, signalling both militaries’ willingness to maintain communication. Meng, a professor at the PLA National Defence University, told the British officials that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355352/chinese-and-uk-officials-shangri-la-dialogue-vow-strengthen-military-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355352/chinese-and-uk-officials-shangri-la-dialogue-vow-strengthen-military-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Amber Wang,Alcott Wei Amber Wang,Alcott Wei Beijing’s delegates to the Shangri-La Dialogue anticipate Washington will strike a less confrontational tone on Taiwan than it did last year, even as the issue remains the largest point of contention in Sino-US relations. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to speak at the annual security conference in Singapore on Saturday morning. His remarks will be closely watched by Beijing and by Washington’s regional allies for signs of any policy shift following the high-stakes summit between... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355338/how-hegseth-might-shift-his-tone-taiwan-years-shangri-la-dialogue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355338/how-hegseth-might-shift-his-tone-taiwan-years-shangri-la-dialogue?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 11:50:43 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will address Asia’s main annual defence gathering on Saturday, with US allies perhaps hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s ticking off. Hegseth’s morning speech will be the main event at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, particularly as Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun is not attending for the second year in a row. Other speakers on the agenda include the defence ministers of Australia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Qatar. Australia, Japan and South... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3355284/hegseth-asia-defence-gathering-china-eu-tensions-computex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3355284/hegseth-asia-defence-gathering-china-eu-tensions-computex?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 09:00:07 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The results of the Xi-Trump summit and their implications for regional security will take centre stage this week during Asia’s largest defence forum, the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, according to analysts. Zhu Feng, dean of Nanjing University’s School of International Studies, said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech at the forum would serve as an important gauge of how much the talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump had helped stabilise... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355075/what-watch-shangri-la-dialogue-after-trumps-china-visit-resets-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355075/what-watch-shangri-la-dialogue-after-trumps-china-visit-resets-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 12:44:27 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun is set to skip the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore for the second year in a row, according to two sources familiar with the matter. China would instead send a lower-level People’s Liberation Army delegation to Asia’s premier defence forum opening on Friday, the sources said. This year marks the 23rd edition of the Shangri-La Dialogue, which brings together defence ministers, military chiefs, diplomats and analysts to debate regional security challenges and hold... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354871/china-defence-chief-dong-jun-tipped-skip-years-shangri-la-dialogue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354871/china-defence-chief-dong-jun-tipped-skip-years-shangri-la-dialogue?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 07:03:52 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live blog has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The Chinese capital is this week hosting the country’s most important annual defence conference, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum. The three-day event follows a flurry of high-profile diplomatic activity in recent weeks, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin and the Victory Day military parade in Beijing. More than 100 defence... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325927/chinese-defence-minister-dong-jun-address-xiangshan-forum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325927/chinese-defence-minister-dong-jun-address-xiangshan-forum?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 00:26:26 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The spotlight is back on the so-called Squad minilateral grouping of nations aimed at countering China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific, after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth hailed the bloc as the most “strategically positioned to manifest deterrence”. Observers, however, are mixed on such a stance, pointing to Washington’s transactional approach and seemingly erratic policy shifts under President Donald Trump, warning there may be “little appetite” in focusing on the group. At last month’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3314486/can-squad-revitalise-asia-pacific-security-amid-chinas-rise-trumps-erratic-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3314486/can-squad-revitalise-asia-pacific-security-amid-chinas-rise-trumps-erratic-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jun 2025 00:10:59 +0000 Amber Wang,Hayley Wong Amber Wang,Hayley Wong The risks of a cross-strait military accident are on the rise as Beijing steps up pressure on Taiwan, a former Taiwanese defence official has warned, citing the lack of direct communication channels between the two sides. Andrew Yang Nien-dzu, who served as Taiwan’s deputy defence minister for four years and briefly held the role of minister, spoke to the South China Morning Post on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier security conference. Yang raised concerns over the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3312787/risk-military-mishap-rising-pla-steps-salami-slicing-former-taiwan-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3312787/risk-military-mishap-rising-pla-steps-salami-slicing-former-taiwan-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jun 2025 02:00:20 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump struck out at China again amid US complaints that the Asian nation had reneged on a promise to ease export controls on critical minerals. “I made a fast deal with China in order to save them from what I thought was going to be a very bad situation,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post on Friday. “Everybody was happy! That is the good news!!! The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, has totally violated its agreement with us. So much for being... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3312725/us-china-tensions-flare-again-over-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3312725/us-china-tensions-flare-again-over-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Jun 2025 09:00:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Australia’s prime minister said on Monday that his government would decide its defence capability needs before announcing defence spending, after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Canberra to lift its defence budget to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. “What you should do in defence is decide what you need, your capability, and then provide for it,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters, adding his government had already committed to accelerate A$10 billion (US$6.4 billion)... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3312668/us-asks-australia-increase-defence-spending-35-gdp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3312668/us-asks-australia-increase-defence-spending-35-gdp?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jun 2025 18:36:27 +0000 Amber Wang,Hayley Wong Amber Wang,Hayley Wong It is customary for Chinese military delegations to push back against American messaging at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s largest annual security summit. But this year’s response was different: the rebuttal was not led by China’s defence minister, but its military academic institutions. Beijing’s low-key attendance at the three-day forum in Singapore, which wrapped up on Sunday, was marked by the absence of Defence Minister Dong Jun and the cancellation of a plenary session on China’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3312643/china-keeps-low-profile-shangri-la-dialogue-what-does-mean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3312643/china-keeps-low-profile-shangri-la-dialogue-what-does-mean?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jun 2025 09:10:29 +0000 Kimberly Lim,Jean Iau Kimberly Lim,Jean Iau It is “incumbent” on nations to reach out to China to avoid misinterpretation and misunderstanding, Singapore’s defence minister has said, as he urged Beijing to use every opportunity to make its perspective known to the world. Chan Chun Sing on Sunday told delegates at the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore that it was beneficial for all sides to work with China and vice versa. He also sought to soothe tensions after the Chinese side protested against comments made by US defence chief Pete... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312635/singapore-minister-tells-nations-build-bridges-china-avoid-misconception?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312635/singapore-minister-tells-nations-build-bridges-china-avoid-misconception?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jun 2025 07:04:25 +0000 Amber Wang,Hayley Wong Amber Wang,Hayley Wong A PLA major general leading the Chinese delegation at this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue has accused the United States of “destabilising the Asia-Pacific” – after US defence chief Pete Hegseth called for collective deterrence against what he characterised as Chinese aggression in the region. In a panel session at Asia’s premier annual security conference on Saturday afternoon, Hu Gangfeng, vice-president of China’s National Defence University, said Hegseth’s address earlier in the day involved... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3312608/chinese-general-fires-back-us-defence-chief-over-shangri-la-dialogue-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3312608/chinese-general-fires-back-us-defence-chief-over-shangri-la-dialogue-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 May 2025 14:02:30 +0000 Hayley Wong,Amber Wang Hayley Wong,Amber Wang US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told Indo-Pacific defence chiefs on Saturday that China wanted to “fundamentally alter the region’s status quo”, and that American allies must step up defence investments. Speaking in Singapore at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defence conference, Hegseth said that the threat posed by China was “real and could be imminent”. He said this included Beijing’s efforts to build the capacity to take over Taiwan by force by 2027, while adding that “President... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3312561/shangri-la-dialogue-pete-hegseth-warns-china-aims-alter-indo-pacific-status-quo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3312561/shangri-la-dialogue-pete-hegseth-warns-china-aims-alter-indo-pacific-status-quo?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 May 2025 02:43:24 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau French President Emmanuel Macron has warned of double standards in condemning conflicts, calling on world leaders to be consistent and form a coalition with a rules-based order in light of the ongoing wars around the world. During his keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) on Friday night, Macron took swipes at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Israel’s hostilities in Gaza and China’s aggression in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, pointing out that the “big risk” was to forget... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312542/shangri-la-dialogue-frances-macron-warns-credibility-stake-if-war-condemnation-inconsistent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312542/shangri-la-dialogue-frances-macron-warns-credibility-stake-if-war-condemnation-inconsistent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 15:51:03 +0000 Hayley Wong Hayley Wong China will downgrade its representation at the Shangri-La Dialogue this year and, in doing so, skip an opportunity for Defence Minister Dong Jun to meet counterparts from the United States and across Asia. In the past, Asia’s premier defence forum has offered a chance for China’s defence minister to make a speech to counter Washington’s narrative in the region and meet other defence chiefs directly. China’s defence ministry said on Thursday that China would send a delegation from the National... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3312350/chinas-dong-jun-skip-singapore-forum-and-chance-meet-us-asian-defence-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3312350/chinas-dong-jun-skip-singapore-forum-and-chance-meet-us-asian-defence-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 May 2025 13:55:02 +0000 Reuters Reuters US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will try to convince Asian defence leaders this weekend that the United States is a more trusted partner for the region than China, US officials said, as questions linger about the Trump administration’s commitment to the region. Hegseth, who has spent a large portion of his first months on the job focused on domestic issues, countering diversity, equity and inclusion in the military and taking aim at the press, will make his first extended remarks in Singapore... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3312201/singapores-shangri-la-dialogue-hegseth-aims-sway-asian-allies-amid-trump-era-doubts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3312201/singapores-shangri-la-dialogue-hegseth-aims-sway-asian-allies-amid-trump-era-doubts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 May 2025 01:25:52 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi A People’s Liberation Army attack on Taiwan is “unlikely in the near future” but “not impossible”, given the risks of misperception and miscommunication with the United States under President Donald Trump, a British think tank has warned. The US–China relationship is “more strained than it has ever been at any other point in the 21st century”, according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), which published its latest Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3312017/pla-attack-taiwan-unlikely-not-impossible-trump-white-house-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3312017/pla-attack-taiwan-unlikely-not-impossible-trump-white-house-report?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 03:57:54 +0000 China has not only expanded its number of operational nuclear warheads to 600 but improved the diversity and sophistication of its arsenal, the Pentagon said in a report released on Wednesday. “China had a very, very small, relatively outdated nuclear arsenal” two decades ago, said Michael Chase, US deputy assistant secretary of defence for China, Taiwan and Mongolia, at the report’s launch at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. “What we’ve seen... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3291438/chinas-nuclear-warheads-total-600-and-raise-strategic-stability-concerns-pentagon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3291438/chinas-nuclear-warheads-total-600-and-raise-strategic-stability-concerns-pentagon?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Dec 2024 23:14:11 +0000 On US Defence Secretary Floyd Austin’s recent visit to Cambodia, human rights and China’s military presence in Cambodia, two topics discussed on the previous US visit, received little attention. This was surprising as Chinese influence in Cambodia continues to grow while Cambodia’s human rights record has not improved. Instead, the main discussion topic over the one-day visit, during which Austin met Senate President Hun Sen, Prime Minister Hun Manet and Defence Minister Tea Seiha, was how to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3269812/why-us-suddenly-going-soft-cambodia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3269812/why-us-suddenly-going-soft-cambodia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Jul 2024 21:30:08 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification At the Shangri-La Dialogue, Major General Xu Hui of the People’s Liberation Army was reported as asking whether Kyiv truly understands its objectives in the Ukraine-Russia war and urging President... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3267820/what-ukraine-fighting-same-thing-wartime-china-valued?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3267820/what-ukraine-fighting-same-thing-wartime-china-valued?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Jun 2024 03:30:13 +0000 Senior Chinese and Ukrainian ministers met in Beijing on Wednesday in the first meeting of its kind since Russia’s invasion more than two years ago. The meeting between Chinese foreign-vice minister Sun Weidong and Andriy Sybiha, Ukraine’s first deputy foreign minister, followed President Volodymyr Zelensky’s open criticism of Beijing over the weekend which has raised speculation that relations between the two countries may have reached a “turning point”. Sybiha “informed his counterpart about... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265667/chinese-and-ukrainian-ministers-meet-days-after-zelensky-attack-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265667/chinese-and-ukrainian-ministers-meet-days-after-zelensky-attack-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jun 2024 15:00:09 +0000 The Shangri-La Dialogue is often cited as Asia’s premier security conference, but the Singapore gathering can no longer afford to focus exclusively on the Indo-Pacific’s geopolitical challenges. This year’s gathering – attended by defence officials, government leaders and diplomats from around the world – tackled issues but also highlighted divisions among the participants beyond East Asia to Europe and the Middle East. Much of the three-day forum centred on tensions between the United States... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3265290/shangri-la-dialogue-shows-us-china-rivalry-extends-far-beyond-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3265290/shangri-la-dialogue-shows-us-china-rivalry-extends-far-beyond-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jun 2024 12:30:10 +0000 SCMP Plus provides early access for premium subscribers to some opinion articles. This article will be published soon on SCMP.com. The Shangri-La Dialogue is often cited as Asia’s premier security conference, but the Singapore gathering can no longer afford to focus exclusively on the Indo-Pacific’s geopolitical challenges. This year’s gathering – attended by defence officials, government leaders and diplomats from around the world – tackled issues but also highlighted divisions among the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3265356/shangri-la-dialogue-shows-us-china-rivalry-extends-far-beyond-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3265356/shangri-la-dialogue-shows-us-china-rivalry-extends-far-beyond-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jun 2024 09:31:49 +0000 Fresh concerns about Chinese suspected support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine were adding further strain to Beijing’s already fraught relationship with Europe on Tuesday, ahead of a mammoth month for bilateral ties. On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky broke from his customary cautious rhetoric on China to accuse it of working with Moscow to undermine a Kyiv-backed peace summit in Switzerland this month. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual security summit in Singapore,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265256/tougher-china-criticism-volodymyr-zelensky-over-ukraine-complicates-troubled-sino-eu-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265256/tougher-china-criticism-volodymyr-zelensky-over-ukraine-complicates-troubled-sino-eu-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jun 2024 06:00:10 +0000 China urged countries around the South China Sea to be wary of Washington’s “geopolitical self-interest” and maintain autonomy to keep the region stable. The warning from China’s foreign ministry on Monday was in response to claims by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s of “illegal coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions” in the contested waters – an apparent reference to Beijing and its territorial disputes with Manila. Marcos made the comments at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265210/south-china-sea-beijing-warns-neighbours-us-geopolitical-self-interest-region?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265210/south-china-sea-beijing-warns-neighbours-us-geopolitical-self-interest-region?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jun 2024 10:48:49 +0000 A TikTok clip of suave military men attending this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore has sparked a buzz online and revealed a lighter side to the key military summit, which has spawned a creative spin on the viral “looking for a man in finance” trend. Featuring decorated uniformed personnel from across the globe striking various poses against a beat-heavy pop track with the lyrics “I’m looking for a man in defence, in uniform, 5’9, nice eyes”, the 18-second clip has garnered more than 1.2... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3265154/suave-soldiers-steal-show-shangri-la-dialogue-singapore-creative-spin-man-finance-tiktok-trend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3265154/suave-soldiers-steal-show-shangri-la-dialogue-singapore-creative-spin-man-finance-tiktok-trend?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jun 2024 06:35:16 +0000 China’s new defence minister took a tough line on Taiwan and a veiled swipe at the Philippines in his debut at an international security forum on Sunday. Addressing defence officials and international observers at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Dong Jun repeated Beijing’s warnings against Taiwanese independence and international support for it, saying Beijing would not allow any country to “create war or chaos” in the Asia-Pacific region. “Whoever dares to split Taiwan from China will be... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3265088/new-chinese-defence-minister-says-taiwan-separatists-will-be-crushed-pieces-and-hits-out-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3265088/new-chinese-defence-minister-says-taiwan-separatists-will-be-crushed-pieces-and-hits-out-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2024 13:04:13 +0000 China can play a role in nuclear safety, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday as the war in his country continued to put Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant in danger. On the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defence conference in Singapore, Zelensky said China’s support in maintaining nuclear safety would “undoubtedly be of great benefit”. Without specifying what role they should play, Zelensky said he wanted to see nuclear powers, including China, help find an exit to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265080/shangri-la-dialogue-ukraines-zelensky-urges-chinas-help-nuclear-safety-and-ending-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265080/shangri-la-dialogue-ukraines-zelensky-urges-chinas-help-nuclear-safety-and-ending-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2024 11:30:19 +0000 China’s growing influence and ability to act as a peace broker took centre stage at this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where regional leaders and defence chiefs also pushed for a renewed commitment to the global rules-based order. Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen summed up the mood on Sunday, the final day of the three-day security forum, when he said the system of global governance in place since the end of World War II “guarantees the security and survival of large nations... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3265068/chinas-growing-influence-shapes-talks-singapores-shangri-la-dialogue-spotlight-rules-based-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3265068/chinas-growing-influence-shapes-talks-singapores-shangri-la-dialogue-spotlight-rules-based-order?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2024 10:30:14 +0000 Kimberly Lim Kimberly Lim Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday called on Asian countries to join a coming Swiss-led peace summit, stressing that “time is running out” and the support of the region was “much needed”. During his 15-minute address at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, he also made veiled jabs at the United States for not confirming the attendance of President Joe Biden at the Swiss summit, slated for June 15-16, and criticised attempts to disrupt it. “I invite your region, your... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3265062/shangri-la-dialogue-singapore-zelensky-calls-asia-join-ukraine-peace-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3265062/shangri-la-dialogue-singapore-zelensky-calls-asia-join-ukraine-peace-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2024 05:56:56 +0000 Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky met heads of state and legislators in Singapore late on Saturday and early on Sunday, seeking security assistance and support for a peace summit after arriving for a surprise visit to the Shangri-La Dialogue. On the social media platform X, Zelensky said he had met Indonesia’s president-elect, Prabowo Subianto; a delegation from the US Congress; and the president of East Timor, Jose Ramos-Horta. “It is very important for us to begin the process of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3265040/ukraines-zelensky-meets-indonesias-prabowo-us-officials-singapores-shangri-la-dialogue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3265040/ukraines-zelensky-meets-indonesias-prabowo-us-officials-singapores-shangri-la-dialogue?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2024 02:25:44 +0000 China will not allow any country to ignite wars – cold or hot – in the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun told an international security conference in Singapore on Sunday. “We will not allow hegemony and power politics to harm the Asia-Pacific. Nor will we allow geopolitical conflicts, cold wars or hot wars to be introduced into the Asia-Pacific. Nor will we allow any country or any force to create war and chaos here,” Dong said in an address to the Shangri-La Dialogue. He... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3265038/china-wont-allow-cold-or-hot-war-asia-pacific-chinese-defence-minister-dong-jun-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3265038/china-wont-allow-cold-or-hot-war-asia-pacific-chinese-defence-minister-dong-jun-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2024 01:23:19 +0000