SINGAPORE, June 2 – Ministers who attended the Ministerial Roundtable held in conjunction with the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue reaffirmed the importance of maintaining regional and international peace and stability.
They emphasised upholding the rules-based international order, building confidence through measures such as the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) and the Guidelines for Air Military Encounters (GAME). Additionally, they stressed the need to strengthen conflict prevention and resolution measures.
The Singapore Defence Ministry, in a statement, said the republic’s Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen hosted 24 visiting ministers and their representatives at the Roundtable discussion on Saturday, a regular feature of the Shangri-La Dialogue.
“Notably, both the United States Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III and China’s Minister of National Defence Admiral Dong Jun were present at the Roundtable,” the ministry said.
During the discussions, the ministers addressed a broad spectrum of topics, including the dynamics between the United States and China, as well as the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
The 21st Shangri-La Dialogue, hosted by Singapore from May 31 to June 2, brought together 49 ministerial-level delegates and over 40 senior defence officials from 45 countries.
Established in 2002, the Shangri-La Dialogue serves as the premier defence and security conference in the Asia-Pacific region. Over the years, it has provided a valuable, open, and neutral platform for the exchange of perspectives on defence and security issues and initiatives.
