SINGAPORE (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are attending a crucial security forum in Singapore this weekend. The Shangri-La Dialogue is focusing on significant geopolitical challenges, including China's increasing assertiveness, the global repercussions of Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, and rising conflicts in Asia.
Macron is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on Friday night, addressing these pressing issues, which also encompasses the economic pressures resulting from the substantial tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Asian allies. This conference marks Hegseth's inaugural participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue, hosted by the International Institute for Security Studies, amidst rising tensions between Washington and Beijing due to proposed tariffs and uncertainties surrounding U.S. commitment to defending Taiwan. Taiwan, which China claims as its own, faces a threat of an invasion from Beijing, with ongoing military provocations including the deployment of military aircraft and naval vessels near the island.
Before departing for Singapore, Hegseth reaffirmed that U.S. policies aim to deter any potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan. “We seek no conflict with anybody, including the Communist Chinese,” he stated, emphasizing that a strong stance for U.S. interests is paramount during this trip.
This year, China has opted to send a lower-level delegation to the Shangri-La forum instead of its usual defense minister, though the reason for this decision remains unclear. Hegseth's visit to Singapore is his second to the region since assuming the role of defense secretary, following a trip to the Philippines in March 2025, where tensions were palpable over territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.
The U.S. has been actively pursuing a "free and open Indo-Pacific" policy, which includes routine military navigation through the Taiwan Strait and the contested South China Sea, nearly all of which China claims sovereignty over. The European Union's approach, primarily driven by economic considerations, has seen various European nations, including France, actively engage in freedom of navigation exercises, highlighting the ongoing global challenge posed by China's territorial ambitions.
In his anticipated speech, Macron is expected to discuss the global implications of the war in Ukraine, asserting that Russia is attempting to destabilize Asia. While democracies in the region, such as Australia, South Korea, and Japan, are aiding Ukraine, China has shown increasing support for Russia, and even North Korea has contributed troops to the Russian cause.
The backdrop of the conference includes ongoing crises, such as the civil war in Myanmar, which has escalated into a severe humanitarian disaster, particularly aggravated by a devastating earthquake that hit the region in March. This week, violence erupted along the Thai-Cambodian border, where a Cambodian soldier lost his life during a brief exchange of gunfire, although officials from Thailand later assured that the situation had been resolved.
More critically, nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan were on the verge of war earlier this month during their most severe military confrontation in decades, characterized by deadly exchanges of fire, artillery, missiles, and drone strikes, which resulted in dozens of casualties before a fragile truce was reached.
This forum not only addresses immediate security concerns but also represents an opportunity for global leaders to discuss the need for collaborative measures to maintain stability in an increasingly tumultuous international landscape.
