Nation’s summit presence crucial
Defense Minister Li’s Shangri-La Dialogue trip vital to expound vision of stability, say experts
The attendance of China’s defense minister at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore will be vital to expound China’s vision for global and regional stability, experts said.
It will also offer an opportunity for various parties to seek security proposals that serve the common interests of regional countries, instead of the self-interest of the United States that aims to maintain military hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region, they said.
State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu had been invited to attend the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue and visit Singapore from May 31 to June 4, the Defense Ministry announced on May 29.
Senior Colonel Cao Yanzhong, a researcher at the People’s Liberation Army Academy of Military Science, said Li’s participation will convey to the international community China’s views on world peace and regional security issues, strengthen communication and understanding with relevant countries, including neighboring countries, and build security consensus with them.
Meanwhile, Western countries led by the US could utilize the conference to whip up international public opinion that is not conducive to China, such as hyping up the so-called China threat theory, he warned.
“Therefore, it is necessary for China to attend the conference to refute this and gain more understanding and recognition from the global community,” Cao said.
The US is “fully responsible” for the current difficulties in bilateral military exchanges, and emphasized that the engagement between the two militaries has not been suspended, the Ministry of National Defense said on May 31.
“What I want to stress is that dialogue and communication can’t be carried out without principle and bottom line,” said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a ministry spokesman.
“On the one hand, the US claims to be committed to enhancing communication, while on the other, it creates obstacles in disregard of China’s concerns, seriously undermining mutual trust between the two militaries,” Tan said. “This is not the right attitude to communication.”
The remarks were in response to US claims that China “rejected” its proposal to hold a Sino-US defense ministers’ meeting on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue.
The US side should take concrete actions to show its sincerity and correct its wrong practices, to create the necessary conditions and atmosphere for dialogue and communication between the two sides, the spokesman added.
According to the Pentagon, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin would attend the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Engagement between the Chinese and US militaries has long been a global focus but it has gone through serious difficulties as the US side has been infringing on China’s interests, said Yuan Zheng, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of American Studies.
“As Sino-US ties have been getting strained, relations between the two militaries will inevitably take a hit,” he said, noting that China does not reject dialogue, but the US has created difficulties for dialogue. To overcome the difficulties, concrete actions are needed.
At present, the US is increasing its military presence in the Western Pacific, treating China as an imaginary enemy, constantly sending warships through the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, and selling arms to Taiwan, which shows no sincerity, Yuan said.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on May 30 that the US is well aware of the reason why China-US military dialogue faces difficulties.
“The US should earnestly respect China’s sovereignty, security and interest concerns, immediately correct wrong practice, show sincerity and create the necessary atmosphere and conditions for dialogue and communication between the Chinese and US militaries,” Mao said.
During the international security forum, Li would deliver a speech on China’s new security proposals and meet with the heads of some delegations. During his visit to Singapore he would also hold meetings and talks with leaders of the city-state’s government and its defense department, said defense ministry spokesman Tan.
Li’s attendance at the Shangri-La Dialogue, which is scheduled to be held from June 2-4, will be his first time participating in the event since taking office as China’s defense minister in March. It is the fourth time China has sent its defense minister to take part in the international security forum held by London-based think tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies.