China's Minister for National Defense Dong Jun will be attending the May 31 to Jun. 2 IISS Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), as part of a longer working visit to Singapore.

Dialogue attendance

China's Global Times (GT) reported that Dong Jun, an admiral and China’s former Chief of Navy, will attend the 21st IISS Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD).

While attending the SLD, Dong will deliver a speech on China's global security, as well as meet related countries' delegation leaders, in line with his predecessors.

Dong will be the third defence minister from China to attend the SLD in as many years.

His predecessor Li Shangfu was removed from the position last year under murky circumstances, and his penultimate predecessor Wei Fenghe having retired.

GT quoted an anonymous military expert from China, who described the SLD as "a good opportunity for China to express its standpoints and views".

This included China's commitment to pursue peace and stability, “as well as explain the crux of current tensions in the region as trouble-stirring by countries from outside the region”.

Working visit

As part of his attendance at SLD, Dong will be in Singapore from May 29 to June 3.

GT reported that Dong is due to meet members of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s team, making him the first of China’s leaders to do so since Wong became PM on May 15.

He will likely be received at the Ministry of Defence, as both of his predecessors were.

Sideline meetings

The SLD represents an opportunity for major military leaders to meet, even if only informally.

In 2022 United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with his counterpart Wei on the sidelines of the SLD.

Austin will also be attending the 2024 SLD, and ABC News reported that he is expected to meet Dong at the event, as he had with Wei in 2022.

In 2023, a similar meeting was attempted, although it was resisted by China, ostensibly because then-minister Li was under sanction by the United States due to his relationships with Russia.

Even though a formal meeting did not take place, the two men met at the opening dinner of the event, sharing greetings and a handshake.

Tensions

In November 2023, the presidents of China and the United States, Xi Jinping and Joe Biden met cordially on the sidelines of APEC, thawing the U.S.-China relationship, albeit only marginally.

Tensions between the two superpowers have not really abated, something made clear by the events surrounding the inauguration of Taiwan's new president, William Lai Ching Te.

China claimed that Lai had engaged in 'separatist acts', and held a series of military exercises just off Taiwan's coast in "punishment".

Taiwan will be a priority for both sides, but will likely be just one of many issues, including China's relationship with Russia amidst the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

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Top image via Republic of Singapore Navy/Facebook & @SecDef/x