Om Ranjan writes that concerns over the Indo-Pacific and Chinese belligerent postures in the region, especially regarding the Taiwan Strait, remained a focal point of debate in the 20th series of the Shangri-La Dialogue. Discussions on the Indo-Pacific region’s security concerns took place among global and regional delegates who attended this segment of the summit.
The Shangri-La Dialogue, also known as the Asia Security Summit, is a significant annual security summit organized by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), a London-based think tank. The event is named after the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, where it is held every year. This year marked the 20th series of the Asia Security Summit hosted by IISS.
Key Issues of the Summit
Debates and discussions revolved around common threats, such as the impact of the Ukraine conflict on the security architecture of the Indo-Pacific region and whether it would influence China’s thinking on Taiwan. This indicates that China’s timing and strategy for a potential attack on Taiwan remain unaffected by the failure of Russia’s invasion. The discussions also extensively covered the role of the U.S. in the region and its future. The summit primarily focuses on defence ministers and delegations representing different countries. The U.S. sent its largest delegation to the summit, followed by China. However, India did not have a formal delegation this year, but there were a few participations from private media groups like Strats News Global and representatives from think tanks.
The inaugural address was given by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, followed by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister General Li Shangfu. This lineup indicates the major stakeholders in the region. In his speech, the Australian PM expressed concerns about the power play between the U.S. and China, emphasizing the need to address global concerns in the region and keep avenues for talks and negotiations open from both sides. Defense Secretary Austin also stressed the importance of open channels and avenues to avoid misunderstandings and misjudgments. He reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the region, particularly regarding navigational freedom and security, as part of its broader mission to ensure an open and free Indo-Pacific. Austin also highlighted the progress made in resolving border disputes between Japan and South Korea, as well as Vietnam and the Philippines.
However, one of the Chinese colonels challenged Austin’s statement, questioning how the U.S. reconciles its two different policies in the Indian Ocean Region simultaneously. The colonel further illustrated that while the U.S. advocates for navigational freedom, it is also pushing for a military alliance called AUKUS. Austin responded by emphasizing that strengthening capabilities is one way to maintain peace. However, the Chinese side did not seem to agree with Austin’s statement after a prolonged discussion.
Heated Remarks by Li Shangfu
Li Shangfu stated that a conflict with the United States would be an “unbearable disaster,” but his country seeks dialogue over confrontation. He further commented that China and the U.S. have different systems and are different in many other ways. Li also expressed that China would not allow freedom-of-navigation patrols by the United States and its allies to serve as a pretext for exercising navigation hegemony.
Conclusion
The IISS-led Shangri-La Dialogue serves as an important forum not only for expressing different views, which are, of course, part of respective policy formulations but also for building personal connections informally on the sidelines. It provides an opportunity for open dialogues that are not constrained by media or public scrutiny, thus allowing for constructive discussions. Despite the Chinese refusal to hold formal talks with the U.S. on the sidelines of this summit, there have been media reports of a secret visit by CIA Chief Bill Burns to China, indicating closed-door discussions that have been the focus of statements from all sides during the summit.
Author: Om Ranjan, Research Intern, CS3, USI.