China ignores Asia's largest defense forum Amid US voltages
China ignores Asia's largest defense forum Amid US voltages
China will not send his Ministry of Defense to the Shangri-la dialog this year, which is a missed opportunity for high-ranking discussions with US and Asian colleagues. This happened in a context of growing tensions between Washington and Beijing.
representation by military university
Instead, China is represented by a delegation from the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army, which is the first time in five years that a highest-ranking delegation from Beijing is missing from the largest defense and security forum in Asia.US presence and past meet
The United States are represented by Defense Minister Pete Hegseth at the event. On this occasion there were often informal meetings between high -ranking military and defense officials in the United States and China. Last year the then US defense minister Lloyd Austin met Defense Minister ADM. Dong jun on the edge of the event. Both agreed to continue the dialogue between the USA and China, while the military tensions about Taiwan and Chinese aggression continue to exist in the South Chinese Sea.
Questions about China's
China's decision not to send Dong this year raises questions whether there will be a meeting between the USA and China, especially in times of increased tensions. In recent years, Beijing has vehemently resisted the efforts of the United States to consolidate its alliances and defense strategies in Asia. These tensions were reinforced at the beginning of the year by the introduction of tariffs to Chinese products under the Trump administration, which led to a mutual customs war.
Return of the tensions
Although both sides had announced a temporary customs rest at the beginning of this month, the tensions flared up again this week. Two days before the forum, the United States published measures that aimed at software exports to Chinese technology companies and on study visa for Chinese students, which endangered a fragile calm rest between Washington and Beijing.
Beijing shows dissatisfaction
At a press conference of the Chinese Ministry of Defense, a question about the lack of presence of the Minister of Defense was 2:00 a.m. A spokesman for the ministry said that China was "open to discussions at all levels between the two sides". However, a US defense officer expressed that the downgrading of China's delegation was a sign that Beijing with Washington was dissatisfied.
low interest in international communication
Beijing seems to avoid the dialogue at the Shangri-LA conference on purpose. The forum does not allow the narrative and discourse to check what is essential for China. The Chinese military leadership has moved into the spotlight in recent years due to a comprehensive corruption campaign, in the framework of which more than a dozen high -ranking members of the Chinese defense facilities have been discontinued since 2023
preceding economic considerations
Analysts suspect that the absence of a high -ranking Chinese delegation at the Defense Forum indicates that Beijing puts economic and trade -based priorities about military relationships in current foreign policy.
US defense strategy in the region
In the run -up to the weekend conference, attention was paid to how the alliances led by the USA would exist in the region under a possible re -election of Trump. The analysts largely agree that the role of the United States in Asia, which mainly focuses on the containment of the Chinese influence and support of Taiwan, remains essentially constant.
prospects for military exercises
Hegseth's first trip to Asia as Minister of Defense began in the Philippines, where he emphasized that the United States would work with its allies to restore the "deterrent" towards "China's aggression" in the Indopazific. It was announced that a total of 120 bilateral or multilateral exercises with US troops will take place in the Indopazacific in 2025.
warning of excessive tightening
The expansion of the US security engagement is welcomed, but Washington has to make sure that China does not provoke it so much that new tensions endanger the security of the regional states that have no US defense contracts.
China's reactions and challenges
A spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Defense said that China was "great importance" for military relationships with the USA, but warned Washington against creating a strong adversary. The presence of a large European contingent, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who will hold the main speech, could also contribute to the tensions and a challenge for high-ranking PLA officials who try to manage relationships in Asia.
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