Overview
- The Shangri‑La Dialogue, which runs May 29–31, will be dominated by fallout from the war in Iran, pressure on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and growing Chinese military pressure on Taiwan.
- Vietnam's President To Lam will deliver the keynote as Hanoi seeks to show strategic autonomy after consolidating power and launching a March '3+3' security dialogue with China.
- U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to face close questioning from Asian allies about whether U.S. attention is stretched by the Iran war and other global commitments.
- China has not confirmed whether Defence Minister Dong Jun will attend, a decision that observers link to internal PLA purges, Beijing's strategic choices about public forums, and the risks of unscripted scrutiny.
- Delegation levels and sideline meetings will matter more than speeches because who shows up will shape private deals, alliance reassurance and practical responses to energy and supply disruptions across Asia.