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What made China keep a low profile at Shangri-La Dialogue?

Instead of defence chief, China sends group from military academies to premier Singapore security forum, prompting speculation

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Hu Gangfeng (centre), a PLA major general and leader of China’s delegation to the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, arrives for the forum’s opening ceremony on Friday. Photo: Hayley Wong
Amber Wangin SingaporeandHayley Wongin Singapore
It is customary for Chinese military delegations to push back against American messaging at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s largest annual security summit. But this year’s response was different: the rebuttal was not led by China’s defence minister, but its military academic institutions.

Beijing’s low-key attendance at the three-day forum in Singapore, which wrapped up on Sunday, was marked by the absence of Defence Minister Dong Jun and the cancellation of a plenary session on China’s security.

The absence of Dong, who attended last year, also suggested there were no bilateral talks between China and other countries, including the United States, at a time when Beijing’s growing military prowess is raising concerns in the region and beyond.

A US defence official confirmed to the South China Morning Post on Friday that no bilateral meetings had been arranged during the forum.

Dong’s absence was also a disappointment for other countries that had sought to hold talks on the sidelines of the forum, according to military officials from two countries who asked to remain anonymous.

One of them said: “The Chinese delegation told us they were not conducting bilateral engagements during the dialogue.”

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