Shangri-La dialogue to focus on Iran war, US commitments in Asia

The war in Iran, strained US defence commitments in Asia, and rising tensions over Taiwan are expected to dominate discussions at this week’s Shangri-La Dialogue, the region’s leading defence and security forum.

The annual gathering, held from May 29 to 31, brings together defence ministers, senior military officials, intelligence chiefs, diplomats, analysts and defence industry representatives for a series of speeches and informal exchanges, Reuters reports. 

Vietnamese President To Lam is scheduled to deliver the keynote address on May 29, but much of the attention will be focused on US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who will speak amid ongoing efforts to manage the conflict involving Iran.

Regional observers say Asian allies will closely assess whether Washington remains fully committed to the Indo-Pacific, or whether its attention is being drawn toward the Middle East conflict and other global tensions.

“There will likely be some continued anxiety over the unpredictability and volatility of U.S. policy, and the consequences for stability,” said Chong Ja Ian, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore.

“The most pressing issue for Asia would be the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict and its effects on energy supply.”

A key question at the summit will be whether China sends its defence minister after skipping last year’s dialogue, a move that had previously limited Beijing’s visibility at the forum.

China’s defence ministry has not confirmed participation by Defence Minister Dong Jun and did not respond to requests for comment.

By Sabina Mammadli