Forty-seven nations slated to participate in the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue, held in Singapore
SINGAPORE - The 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), Asia's premier defense summit, convenes at the Shangri-La Hotel from May 30 to June 1, gathering minister-level delegates from 40 countries and other dignitaries. Notably, French President Emmanuel Macron is slated to deliver this year's keynote speech on May 30, marking the first time a European leader gives the address at the annual security forum.
Another prominent speaker is Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who will address the assembly on May 31. The event is organized by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and serves as a crucial platform for discussing critical security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.
China, with 47 countries set to participate, plans to attend with a delegation from the People's Liberation Army National Defence University. Although not sending Admiral Dong, Chinese Defense Minister, it remains to be seen if this will signal a lower level of representation compared to previous years. The US, in contrast, will dispatch a high-level contingent led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is expected to address the dialogue's first plenary session on May 31.
The annual forum provides a valuable platform for the exchange of perspectives on defense and security issues among leading defense government representatives. In 2024, top-level bilateral talks between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun took place at the event. This year, such discussions may be absent, with the exact lineup and bilateral meetings still under wraps until the dialogue commences.
The weekend agenda consists of seven plenary sessions and three special sessions. Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing will speak at the seventh plenary session on June 1, and host roundtable discussions and meetings with visiting ministers, FPDA defense ministers, and other dignitaries on the sidelines of the SLD. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will host delegates to a dinner at St Regis Singapore on May 31.
The dialogue is Asia's premier defence summit to discuss critical security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. - Photo The Straits Times/ANN
Apart from minister-level delegates, CHODs and senior defense officials from various countries are also set to attend the dialogue. With such a diverse and high-level gathering, the 2025 Shangri-La Dialogue promises to address the most pressing regional security challenges and foster collaboration among regional powers.
In the 2025 Shangri-La Dialogue, artificial intelligence, war, government, politics, and general-news are expected to be significant topics as CHODs and senior defense officials from numerous countries will join the high-level debate. The discussions could potentially lead to new strategies and collaborations to confront security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.
