SINGAPORE — United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is the headline speaker at Asia’s premier defense summit that opened on Friday, but China’s top officials weren’t expected despite weighty questions like Taiwan and the war on Iran.
Beijing’s defense minister skipped the three-day Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore for the second year running, which analysts viewed as a sign of China’s rising power.
Yet, the forum that brings together top officials from around 45 nations has historically provided a setting for debate, as well as quiet and high-profile diplomacy.