Shangri-La Dialogue to Focus on Asia-Pacific Security Amid Middle East Conflict
The Shangri-La Dialogue, starting May 29 in Singapore, will focus on how the Middle East conflict impacts Asia-Pacific security. While US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's speech is anticipated, experts are skeptical of his influence under the Trump administration, predicting the focus will remain on US-China tensions.
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- 📰 Published: May 27, 2026 at 13:45
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The Shangri-La Dialogue is set to take place in Singapore from May 29 to 31. Analysts suggest that regional countries are expected to focus on how the Middle East conflict and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will affect the security landscape of the Asia-Pacific region, with particular attention on the potential remarks by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Ahead of the Shangri-La Dialogue, a key annual security forum in the Asia-Pacific, Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao cited various experts for their predictions and analysis. The report stated that Hegseth is scheduled to deliver the first plenary speech on the morning of the 30th. This will be the first face-to-face contact between the highest-ranking US defense official and defense and military leaders from Asia-Pacific countries since the outbreak of the US-Iran war on February 28.
The report noted that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has triggered a global energy supply shortage, hitting Asian countries heavily reliant on Middle Eastern energy imports particularly hard. On the other hand, the US military has consumed significant amounts of ammunition in the Middle East theater and has even diverted military assets from the Indo-Pacific region, raising concerns among allies about whether the US military has sufficient resources to handle potential military conflicts in this region.
Chong Ja Ian, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said, "Hegseth is expected to speak on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, but any statement he makes is almost irrelevant to regional countries because the current major dialogue is taking place between the US, Iran, and other Middle Eastern nations." He added that it is unlikely Hegseth will offer specific responses to the concerns of regional countries.
James Char, an assistant professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, also does not expect Hegseth to respond positively to regional allies, stating, "Even if some national leaders come forward to urge the US to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, or follow international law, we cannot expect Hegseth not to prevaricate when responding to allies' concerns at this year's Shangri-La Dialogue."
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, does not rule out the possibility that Hegseth might warn regional countries, including China, to assist the US in reopening the strait. He might also repeat Trump's rhetoric, telling other countries to be grateful that the US prevented Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons while downplaying the negative impact of the war on the global economy.
The report indicated that the US Defense Secretary's speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue has historically focused on Washington's Asia-Pacific security policy, providing a platform for regional countries to observe the White House's military strategy toward Beijing. Hegseth's theme this year is "US Peace Strategy in the Indo-Pacific," and observers estimate that he will continue to emphasize China's security threat to the region and criticize Beijing's coercive behavior in the South China Sea and other areas.
Furthermore, Chong stated bluntly that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are the main characters setting the tone for US-China security interactions, a fact that significantly weakens the weight of Hegseth's remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Chong said, "We are actually facing an imperial-like US president; every decision is made by Trump, and the directors of the China, Japan, and North Korea offices at the Pentagon are all his people." Thitinan also stated, "Although Hegseth holds a prominent position, he lacks the weight and credibility of many former defense secretaries to take on this role. He is seen as a high-ranking official and loyalist of the Trump administration, rather than a recognized expert and practitioner."
Ahead of the Shangri-La Dialogue, a key annual security forum in the Asia-Pacific, Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao cited various experts for their predictions and analysis. The report stated that Hegseth is scheduled to deliver the first plenary speech on the morning of the 30th. This will be the first face-to-face contact between the highest-ranking US defense official and defense and military leaders from Asia-Pacific countries since the outbreak of the US-Iran war on February 28.
The report noted that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has triggered a global energy supply shortage, hitting Asian countries heavily reliant on Middle Eastern energy imports particularly hard. On the other hand, the US military has consumed significant amounts of ammunition in the Middle East theater and has even diverted military assets from the Indo-Pacific region, raising concerns among allies about whether the US military has sufficient resources to handle potential military conflicts in this region.
Chong Ja Ian, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said, "Hegseth is expected to speak on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, but any statement he makes is almost irrelevant to regional countries because the current major dialogue is taking place between the US, Iran, and other Middle Eastern nations." He added that it is unlikely Hegseth will offer specific responses to the concerns of regional countries.
James Char, an assistant professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, also does not expect Hegseth to respond positively to regional allies, stating, "Even if some national leaders come forward to urge the US to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, or follow international law, we cannot expect Hegseth not to prevaricate when responding to allies' concerns at this year's Shangri-La Dialogue."
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, does not rule out the possibility that Hegseth might warn regional countries, including China, to assist the US in reopening the strait. He might also repeat Trump's rhetoric, telling other countries to be grateful that the US prevented Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons while downplaying the negative impact of the war on the global economy.
The report indicated that the US Defense Secretary's speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue has historically focused on Washington's Asia-Pacific security policy, providing a platform for regional countries to observe the White House's military strategy toward Beijing. Hegseth's theme this year is "US Peace Strategy in the Indo-Pacific," and observers estimate that he will continue to emphasize China's security threat to the region and criticize Beijing's coercive behavior in the South China Sea and other areas.
Furthermore, Chong stated bluntly that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are the main characters setting the tone for US-China security interactions, a fact that significantly weakens the weight of Hegseth's remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Chong said, "We are actually facing an imperial-like US president; every decision is made by Trump, and the directors of the China, Japan, and North Korea offices at the Pentagon are all his people." Thitinan also stated, "Although Hegseth holds a prominent position, he lacks the weight and credibility of many former defense secretaries to take on this role. He is seen as a high-ranking official and loyalist of the Trump administration, rather than a recognized expert and practitioner."
FAQ
Why is the Shangri-La Dialogue important?
It serves as a key platform for shaping security policy in the Asia-Pacific.