Germany's Defense Chief Says China Squanders Shangri-La Dialogue Chance With 2nd Straight Ministerial Skip
Updated
Updated · CNBC · May 30
Germany's Defense Chief Says China Squanders Shangri-La Dialogue Chance With 2nd Straight Ministerial Skip
1 articles · Updated · CNBC · May 30
General Carsten Breuer said China is missing a key chance for dialogue at the Shangri-La Dialogue after sending a lower-level delegation instead of a defense minister for the second straight year.
Breuer called the absence dangerous in a "contested" world, saying he had never seen times as perilous in his 42 years as a soldier and urging countries to use every forum to compare views.
Major General Meng Xiangqing is leading Beijing's delegation, and Breuer said talks with Chinese officials in Singapore are still a "real dialogue"—but would be better at a higher level.
Pete Hegseth sharpened pressure earlier Saturday by saying no state, including China, can impose hegemony, while Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said China's limited presence was "no major loss" because it mainly promoted the party line.
Is China’s military purge forcing its retreat from global security dialogues, or is this a deliberate strategic pivot?
With top-level dialogue failing, are forums like Shangri-La becoming obsolete in preventing conflict between major world powers?
As German industry pivots to defense, can Berlin balance its security criticism of China with its deep economic reliance?