China Skips Key Asia Security Summit, Raising Eyebrows

China's Absence from Shangri-La Dialogue Sparks Speculation SINGAPORE – The 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's largest defense summit, is underway in Singapore, but a notable absence has cast a shadow over proceedings: China's defense minister. Instead of the usual high-level representation, China sent a lower-level academic delegation. This has led to much speculation among attendees and observers. The presence of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth adds another layer of complexity to the situation. His participation marks his debut at the forum, and his address is eagerly anticipated. "Delegations in attendance will be closely watching what Hegseth has to say," reported Reuters Singapore chief correspondent Xinghui Kok, who was on the ground at the event. Several theories are circulating to explain China's absence. Some suggest that China no longer finds the Shangri-La Dialogue useful for its purposes, preferring to focus on its own security forum, the Xiangshan Forum. Others believe that China's absence is a response to the current geopolitical climate, which includes U.S. policies that have strained relationships between the two nations. The Shangri-La Dialogue offers valuable opportunities for bilateral and multilateral discussions, and China's absence represents a missed chance to engage with partners and allies in Asia and Europe. This absence, coupled with other recent geopolitical events, has some questioning U.S. reliability as a partner in the region. The event continues, however, with discussions expected to focus on many pressing security issues.