'Where is China' ask delegates at Asian defense forum

China's Defense Minister Dong Jun skipped the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore for the second consecutive year on Saturday, sending a low-profile delegation of People's Liberation Army academics in his place, Reuters reported.

The absence drew pointed remarks from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other senior officials at Asia's premier defense forum.

Why did China skip the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2026?

Beijing sent a delegation of PLA "experts and scholars" rather than its defense minister, stepping down from the high-powered presence it has maintained at the forum since 2007. Analysts say the absence is a calculated move to avoid tough questions on Taiwan tensions and the impact of military corruption purges on China's combat readiness. "My feeling is that they are trying to avoid tough questions," said Chong Ja Ian, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore.

China also dropped its annual ministerial keynote speech from this year's program, as it did in 2025. A highlight of the Shangri-La Dialogue has traditionally been a robust address by China's defense minister laying out Beijing's defense doctrine and outlook on global tensions. Zhou Bo, a retired PLA senior colonel attending as part of the delegation, acknowledged the reduced profile, saying: "It is true that the level of the delegation is relatively low this time."

What did Hegseth and other leaders say about China's absence?

Hegseth took note of Dong Jun's no-show during his own keynote address. "I wish my counterpart was here at this conference, but I look forward to other options when we can cross paths and communicate, talk about things where often actions at sea or in the air are perceived differently," he said. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles called the absence a lost opportunity for frank, face-to-face talks on regional flashpoints.

Hegseth's tone on China was nonetheless more measured than last year, when he described Beijing as a direct threat in the Indo-Pacific and urged Asian allies to increase defense spending. Beijing responded at the time by accusing Hegseth of vilifying China. This year, he cautioned only that "no state, including China, can impose its hegemony" over regional security or prosperity, and said US-China relations were better than they had been in many years.

What is the history of China's presence at the Shangri-La Dialogue?

China began sending delegations to the 23-year-old forum in 2007 and dispatched its defense minister in 2011, again in 2019, and consistently from 2022 to 2024. The dialogue was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dong Jun did meet Hegseth during President Donald Trump's visit to China earlier this month, suggesting Beijing is managing its engagement with Washington through other channels.

Bilahari Kausikan, a veteran Singapore diplomat, played down the significance of the ministerial absence. The Shangri-La Dialogue was always primarily about anchoring the US in Southeast Asia and ensuring its defense chief attends the region at least once a year, he said. "Whether China is represented by its defense minister is a secondary factor. It would be nice but not essential."