Overview
- Pete Hegseth led the U.S. delegation to the Shangri‑La Dialogue and said on Saturday that the scale of China’s military buildup is cause for real alarm while calling for a durable, stable balance in the Asia‑Pacific.
- For the second year running China sent a delegation of military experts instead of Defence Minister Dong Jun, so there was no ministerial meeting between Beijing and the United States at the forum.
- Hegseth said U.S. policy on Taiwan has not changed but stated that any future decisions on arms sales to Taiwan will be made by President Trump.
- The U.S., Britain and Australia held trilateral talks on the sidelines as part of AUKUS and Australian media reported, without official confirmation, that the partners may announce a major capability project such as unmanned underwater systems.
- Analysts say Beijing’s lower‑level participation signals growing confidence but also reduces its ability to answer public criticism in real time and increases pressure on U.S. allies to boost their own defence spending and coordination.