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At the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue on Jun. 4, China’s defence minister General Li Shangfu delivered his first public address to an international audience since his appointment to the post in March 2023.

Speaking at a plenary session titled “China’s New Security Initiatives”, Li delved into China’s stance towards regional security challenges while repeatedly but implicitly criticising an unnamed country, most likely the U.S., for its supposed double standards.

Nevertheless, he believed that the U.S.(specifically mentioned) and China can get along under the three principles of "mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation".

The Shangri-La Dialogue, a high-level security forum organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), is being held in Singapore from Jun. 2 to 4, 2023.

On regional security

Li began his speech by likening “Shangri-La” to the idea of a utopia, noting that those gathered at the dialogue were there for the peace, development and well-being of people in the region.

Mentioning the Global Security Initiative (GSI) proposed by China’s President Xi Jinping, he highlighted that the sustained prosperity and stability of the Asia Pacific region “hinges on a sound security and development environment”.

He also said that the region was facing “unprecedented security challenges”.

Mutual respect

Li first said that mutual respect is important and should “prevail over bullying and hegemony”.

“We are strongly opposed to imposing one's own will on others, placing one's own interests above those of others and pursuing one's own security at the expense of others.”

Li then slammed “some country” which supposedly meddled with others’ internal affairs, imposed unilateral sanctions, created “chaos and turbulence” with colour revolutions and proxy wars before walking away, leaving "a mess behind”.

He reiterated that such behaviour cannot be allowed to happen in the Asia-Pacific, while reaffirming China’s support for Asean centrality and strategic autonomy.

Fairness & justice

The next point Li made was that all countries were “equal members of the international community”, despite their size or wealth.

He said that international affairs should be handled through consultation rather than "be dictated" by one or a few countries, and underscored China’s commitment to upholding the United Nations-centred international system.

He once again indirectly accused “some country” for taking “a selective approach to rules and international laws”.

“It likes forcing its own rules on others, and even attempts to constrain others with a convention itself has not acceded to. Its so-called rules-based international order never tells you what the rules are, and who made these rules."

He further remarked that this particular country practiced “exceptionalism and double standards”, which did not provide a “just and equitable environment for development”.

Mutual trust & consultation

Thirdly, Li remarked that conflicts and confrontation should be eliminated through mutual trust and consultation.

Expressing that it was “natural for countries to disagree with each other”, he said that the right course of action was to seek consensus and promote negotiations rather than exacerbate tensions.

He stated that China was committed to upholding peace, noting that it has played a constructive role in facilitating political consideration in various issues.

In recent months, China has played a part in bringing bitter geopolitical rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran to the negotiating table, as well as sending an envoy in an attempt to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Again, Li implicitly rebuked “some country” for “expanding military bases, reinforcing military presence and intensifying arms race in the region”, as well as transferring nuclear weapon technology to a non-nuclear state.

This last remark was a possible reference to the U.S. agreeing to provide Australia with nuclear-powered (but not nuclear-armed) submarines.

Li remarked that such actions would only further stoke confrontation, and called for the enhancement of dialogue and communication to ensure stability in the Asia-Pacific.

Open & inclusive, no to military alliances

Li then stressed the importance of “preventing bloc confrontation” at a time of resurgent “Cold War mentality”.

“Some big power [continues] to promote its so-called Indo-Pacific strategy. China holds that no strategy should be based on ideological grounds, and aims to build exclusive military alliances against imagined threats, as this could easily lead to a self fulfilling prophecy.”

He expressed his opposition towards pushing for “NATO-like” military alliances in the Asia-Pacific which could push countries into a “whirlpool of division disputes and conflicts.”

The general then pointed to the lessons learnt from the two World Wars and the Cold War, highlighting that such tragedies should never be allowed to happen once again.

Peaceful modernisation

Li spoke at length at how China's peaceful modernisation was promoting development, raising examples like its trade volume with Asean, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as well as the “2.3 billion doses of vaccines” it provided to more than 120 countries.

Li also mentioned that China was “safeguarding world and regional security” with its peacekeeping operations, naval protection and evacuation of its citizens from war-torn Sudan.

By sending Chinese soldiers on dangerous missions, it was “a solemn commitment made by the Chinese military to the world,” he said.

Li said China is committed to "bridging differences", naming China's efforts in the Middle East and Europe as examples.

On the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Li said that China takes an "objective and impartial stance" on the merits of what he called an "issue".

He then delved into the details on China’s participation in regional mechanisms and cooperation exercises, such as the recent Joint Military Exercise held between the navies of Singapore and China.

Core interests and issues

Towards the final part of his speech, Li said that China “will never hesitate to defend [its] legitimate rights and interests".

To illustrate the country’s attitude, he quoted the lyrics of a Chinese song, “when friends visit us, we welcome them with fine wine. When jackals or wolves come, we will face them with shotguns.”

Taiwan

Li stressed China’s stance on the Taiwan issue, which has also been consistently reiterated by other top Chinese officials:

“Taiwan is China's Taiwan, and how to resolve the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese to decide. It brooks no interference from foreign forces.”

Describing those who were “undermining stability across the Taiwan Strait”, he pointed to Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), as well as “some big power (who) has repeatedly sold arms to Taiwan, provided military training assistance to it and upgraded official exchanges.”

“China's reunification is an overriding historical trend and unstoppable course,” said the Chinese defence minister.

"If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, China's military will not hesitate for a second. We will fear no opponent, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, regardless of any cost," he added.

South China Sea

Li also observed that the situation in the disputed South China Sea had “generally remained stable, and regional exchanges and cooperation have grown stronger".

“However, we do see some countries outside the region exercise their hegemony of navigation, in the name of freedom of navigation," he said, potentially alluding to the recent intercept of a U.S. spy plane by a Chinese fighter jet in the zone.

Noting that China and Asean countries were like “brothers and sisters”, he urged them to be vigilant against external parties sowing discourse, while pushing for the negotiations of the Code of Conduct.

US-China relations

Last but not least, Li touched on the U.S.-China relations which was currently the “focus of global attention.”

He said that China believed that both powers “should live up to the expectations of countries in the world and follow the trend of the times”.

The general also acknowledged that any severe conflict between them would be an “unbearable disaster for the world” and believed that “a major country should behave like one instead of provoking bloc confrontation for self interests”.

“China and the U.S. have different systems and are different in many other ways. However, this should not keep the two sides from seeking common ground and common interests to grow bilateral ties and deepen cooperation.”

Li stated that China was open to seeking a “new type” of bilateral relationship with the U.S, noting that the “world is big enough for countries including China and the U.S. to grow together".

He also called for both sides to handle their differences properly and "find the right way to get along".

Li expressed hope in working together with the U.S. to bring relations back on track, a follow-up from the successful meeting between Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden in Bali in November 2022.

A handshake

Li’s remarks came shortly after the cordial handshake between him and the U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on the first day of the dialogue (Jun. 2), as well as the latter’s speech on Jun. 3.

Despite the brief exchange, the U.S. Department of Defense noted that there had been no "substantive exchange" between the duo, according to Reuters.

Nevertheless, Austin reiterated in his speech that keeping an open line of communication with China was also essential, while saying that a handshake is no substitute for substantive dialogue.

Previously, it was reported that China had declined their request for a meeting between Li and Austin on the sidelines of the dialogue. Li is under sanctions from the U.S. for acquisition of Russian military hardware in 2018.

China’s foreign ministry responded in a statement on May 31, saying that the U.S. should instead “correct wrong practice, show sincerity and create necessary atmosphere and conditions” for military-to-military dialogue.

Read our Shangri-La Dialogue coverage here:

Top image via YouTube/International Institute for Strategic Studies