Overview
- The U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, led the American delegation and delivered a keynote warning about the scale of China’s military build‑up on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
- China for a second year sent a team of military experts instead of Defence Minister Dong Jun, so no ministerial meeting took place between Dong and Hegseth.
- Hegseth urged allies to raise defence spending, singled out Western Europe for criticism over underinvestment, and warned that future U.S. support will be shaped by who shares the burden.
- Ministers from the United States, Britain and Australia held AUKUS consultations on the sidelines and Australian media have reported possible plans for a major capability project, reportedly involving underwater drones, but that report remains unconfirmed.
- Analysts say Beijing’s low‑level delegation is a signal of growing confidence that could narrow high‑level dialogue on Taiwan, the South China Sea and Iran and increase pressure on regional partners to strengthen their own militaries.