The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, held in Singapore, is a major defense and security forum for discussing security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. Defense ministers, high-ranking officials, and experts from various countries gathered to engage in in-depth discussions for regional stability and peace. This year's conference, which ran for three days from May 30th, was a significant opportunity to gauge the future of the Asian security order amidst an unstable international landscape.
Key Discussions and Core Agendas
The following core agendas were intensely discussed at this Shangri-La Dialogue:
Importance of Maintaining a Rules-Based International Order: A majority of the participating countries emphasized the importance of a rules-based international order for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. This served as an opportunity to reaffirm the necessity of adhering to international law, especially concerning maritime security and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Nations underscored the importance of compliance with international law and the UN Charter, emphasizing that dialogue and diplomatic efforts are essential for resolving disputes.
U.S.-China Strategic Competition and Its Regional Impact: The strategic competition between the United States and China remained a major focus at this conference. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth explained the Trump administration's new defense strategy for the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing the achievement of peace and deterrence through strengthening alliances and partnerships. China showed a flexible stance, including the absence of high-level officials, but demonstrated its continued influence by expressing its position on regional security. The potential for a bilateral meeting between the U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs was also a key point of interest, serving as an indicator of the current state of relations between the two countries.
Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Alliances: The importance of intra-regional cooperation, particularly among ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, was highlighted. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized that trade is "key" to ASEAN's stability, asserting that it must be protected from "arbitrary" regulations. Furthermore, ways to strengthen multilateral and bilateral security cooperation among regional countries were explored, with a particular focus on developing defense and defense industry cooperation with allies, including South Korea.
Ripple Effects of International Conflicts like Ukraine, Gaza, and Myanmar: Deep concerns were expressed regarding the impact on Asian security of global conflicts, including the prolonged war in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza, and the unstable political situation in Myanmar. The attendance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in particular, vividly demonstrated the consequences of diplomatic failure and rule-breaking, further emphasizing the need for diplomatic efforts and a rules-based order.
New Security Threats and Future Warfare: Beyond traditional security threats, discussions also took place on new security challenges such as cybersecurity, climate change, and transnational crime. There was also an active exchange of views on the impact of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) on future warfare and the preparedness of various countries. French President Emmanuel Macron, in his opening keynote address, presented Europe's perspective and strategy on Indo-Pacific security challenges, expressing Europe's interest and willingness to contribute to regional security.
This Shangri-La Dialogue reaffirmed its role as an important platform for not only addressing security issues but also for exploring the direction the Asian region should take amidst a rapidly changing international landscape and for responding to common security threats through multilateral cooperation. Participating nations converged on the view that they should focus on maintaining regional stability through dialogue and diplomacy and building a cooperative security order based on mutual respect.
Key Outcomes and Outlook of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, held in Singapore from May 30th to June 1st, 2025, served as a crucial defense and security forum for the Asia-Pacific region. Bringing together defense ministers, senior officials, and experts, the conference fostered in-depth discussions on regional stability and peace amidst a volatile international landscape. It was a significant platform for assessing the future of the Asian security order.
Key Discussions and Core Agendas
The Shangri-La Dialogue focused intensely on the following core agendas:
Maintaining a Rules-Based International Order: Numerous participating nations underscored the importance of a rules-based international order for a free and open Indo-Pacific. This served to reconfirm the necessity of adhering to international law, especially concerning maritime security and disputes in the South China Sea. Countries emphasized the importance of upholding international law and the UN Charter, highlighting that dialogue and diplomatic efforts are essential for conflict resolution.
US-China Strategic Competition and Regional Impact: The strategic competition between the United States and China remained a central concern at this year's conference. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth outlined the Trump administration's new defense strategy for the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing achieving peace and deterrence through strengthening alliances and partnerships. China, despite the fluidity shown by the absence of a high-level official, articulated its stance on regional security, signifying its continued influence. The possibility of a bilateral meeting between the US and Chinese defense chiefs was also a key point of interest, serving as an indicator of the current state of their relationship.
Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Alliances: The importance of regional cooperation, particularly among ASEAN nations, was highlighted. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stressed that trade is "key" to ASEAN's stability and must be protected from "arbitrary" regulations. Furthermore, discussions explored avenues for strengthening multilateral and bilateral security cooperation among regional countries, with a particular focus on enhancing defense and defense industry cooperation with allies, including South Korea.
Spillover Effects of International Conflicts (Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar): Deep concerns were expressed regarding the impact of global conflicts, such as the prolonged war in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza, and the instability in Myanmar, on Asian security. The presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vividly demonstrated the consequences of diplomatic failure and rule violations, further underscoring the need for diplomatic efforts and a rules-based order.
New Security Threats and Future Warfare: Beyond traditional security threats, discussions also covered emerging security challenges like cybersecurity, climate change, and transnational crime. Active exchanges of views took place on the impact of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), on the future of warfare and each nation's preparedness. French President Emmanuel Macron delivered the opening keynote address, presenting Europe's perspective and strategy on Indo-Pacific security challenges, thereby expressing Europe's interest and commitment to contributing to regional security.
Outlook
The Shangri-La Dialogue reconfirmed its role as a crucial platform for exploring the direction the Asian region should take amidst a rapidly changing international environment and for responding to common security threats through multilateral cooperation. Participating nations generally agreed on the need to focus on maintaining regional stability through dialogue and diplomacy and building a cooperative security order based on mutual respect.
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