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Dong Jun

Admiral Dong Jun was appointed as China’s defence minister in December 2023, after his predecessor Li Shangfu was sacked months after he took up the role. Dong is the country’s first defence minister with a navy background. He has yet to be given the rank of state councillor or a seat on the decision-making Central Military Commission, roles that all previous defence ministers have taken on.

Born

1961

Industry

Politics, Military

Job Title

Minister of National Defense, China

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun (third left) walks past Iranian Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh (second right) and other SCO defence chiefs ahead of a meeting in Qingdao on Thursday. Photo: AP

Israel-Iran conflict

China hosts Iran defence minister and others on warship, condemns ‘hegemony’

Iranian Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh tours Type 052D destroyer Kaifeng, thanks Beijing for ‘supporting Iran’s legitimate position’.

26 Jun 2025 - 7:15PMvideocam

China-Africa relations

China backs South Africa against ‘hegemony and bullying’ amid US tensions

10 Jun 2025 - 5:46PM

South China Sea

China ‘has a lot of trust building to do’ in South China Sea, Philippines says

3 Jun 2025 - 2:54PMvideocam

US-China relations

US-China tensions flare up again over rare earths

US President Donald Trump accused China of violating last month’s trade-war pause as Beijing maintains export controls on vital rare earth minerals.

2 Jun 2025 - 5:00PM

US-China relations

‘Not mere pawns’ in big power rivalry: Asean asserts agency at Shangri-La forum

US warnings about China ‘threat’ unlikely to be fully endorsed by Asean, given spectre of steep tariffs under Trump, analyst says.

2 Jun 2025 - 3:53PMvideocam

Shangri-La Dialogue

China keeps a low profile at Shangri-La Dialogue. What does that mean?

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

1 Jun 2025 - 7:35PM

Singapore

China’s absence felt at Shangri-La Dialogue, Singapore’s defence chief says

Defence chief Chan Chun Sing urges dialogue to boost ‘clarity’ of intentions, says Singapore remains open, inclusive platform for frank discussions.

31 May 2025 - 6:50PM

Singapore

Hegseth draws parallels between Trump and Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew

Both men showed a ‘willingness to work with others, while respecting mutual self-interest,’ the US defence secretary said.

31 May 2025 - 3:51PM

US-China relations

At Shangri-La Dialogue, Pete Hegseth says China aims to alter Asia’s status quo

Pentagon chief urges US allies to step up defence spending in the face of ‘real’ and ‘imminent’ threat posed by Beijing.

31 May 2025 - 9:59PM

US-China trade war

Trump tariffs upheld, May factory activity on tap and more

This week: Trump wins reprieve for tariffs, China condemns US revocation of student visas and Li Qiang tours Indonesia and Malaysia. Next week: Dong Jun to skip Shangri-La Dialogue, May factory activity on tap, more countries get visa-free access to China and more.

30 May 2025 - 5:00PM

US-China relations

Dong Jun to skip Singapore forum – and a chance to meet US, Asian defence chiefs

Reasons for defence minister’s absence from Shangri-La Dialogue include tariff war, waning interest in ‘Western-centric’ forum, analysts say.

30 May 2025 - 1:26PMvideocam

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun (centre) walks out following a bilateral meeting with then US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on the sidelines of the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31 of last year. Photo: AFP

Singapore

With US stand in doubt, will Hegseth sway Asian allies at Singapore forum?

The US defence chief is expected to outline Washington’s Indo-Pacific security policy at the forum.

29 May 2025 - 9:25AMvideocam

China’s military

China’s defence chief forges Europe ties in Paris, Berlin plus UN peace pledge

Dong Jun’s first European tour concludes with major commitment to United Nations peacekeeping efforts.

16 May 2025 - 3:56PMvideocam

China-Asean relations

China’s defence chief to visit Vietnam for military exchange and joint patrol

The activities will coincide with Xi Jinping’s state visit to the Southeast Asian country as Beijing seeks to bolster regional ties.

11 Apr 2025 - 9:56PMvideocam

Defence Minister Dong Jun (centre), seen here at a security conference in Beijing last September, will visit Vietnam next week, marking his second trip to the country in four months. Photo: AFP

Diplomacy

China hosts defence chiefs, US Fed to cut interest rates and more

This week: China hosts a security conference, ‘China Week’ in the US House and mixed signals on the economy. Coming up: China data dump, big HK IPO, the Fed’s long-awaited rate cut and more.

13 Sep 2024 - 5:08PM

Chinas Defence Minister Dong Jun delivered a speech at the Xiangshan Forum at the Beijing International Convention Center on September 13. Photo: AFP

US-China relations

Opinion | Shangri-La Dialogue shows US-China rivalry extends far beyond Asia

The prominence of global conflicts beyond the Indo-Pacific highlights how the US and China can no longer isolate different theatres of competition.

6 Jun 2024 - 8:30PMvideocam

US-China relations

Opinion | Shangri-La Dialogue shows US-China rivalry extends far beyond Asia

This year’s Shangri-La Dialogue tackled the world’s most acute security challenges, such as Ukraine, the Israel-Gaza war and South China Sea tensions. The prominence of global conflicts beyond the Indo-Pacific highlights how the US and China can no longer isolate different theatres of competition.

5 Jun 2024 - 8:49AMvideocam

Diplomacy

US, China talk defence in Singapore

The defence chiefs of China and the US broke a two-year silence in a discussion on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. While there was little surprise in the list of grievances and little change in the positions of the two sides, the restarting of talks was regarded as progress as tensions simmer in Asia-Pacific and beyond.

4 Jun 2024 - 5:14PM

Lloyd Austin, US secretary of defense, and Dong Jun, China’s defense minister, met for the first time in person at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Photo: Bloomberg

US-China relations

Chinese defence chief says Taiwan separatists will be ‘crushed’

Dong Jun insisted Beijing was committed to peaceful reunification but issued several veiled swipes at the US for ‘pushing Taiwan into danger’.

3 Jun 2024 - 5:18PMvideocam

US-China relations

Shangri-La Dialogue: US defence chief pushes partnerships, pledges China talks

Washington seeks peaceful resolution of disputes, ‘not coercion’, says US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin at Singapore security forum.

1 Jun 2024 - 8:30PMvideocam

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin speaks at the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on Saturday. Photo: AFP

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