What to watch at Shangri-La Dialogue after Trump’s China visit resets ties

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Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth’s speech at Asian security forum to serve as important gauge of whether summit has stabilised US-China relations

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Amber Wangin BeijingPublished: 8:44pm, 27 May 2026The results of the Xi-Trump summit and their implications for regional security will take centre stage this week during Asia’s largest defence forum, the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, according to analysts.

Zhu Feng, dean of Nanjing University’s School of International Studies, said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech at the forum would serve as an important gauge of how much the talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump had helped stabilise bilateral relations.

With the Iran war entering its fourth month, analysts said countries in the Asia-Pacific would look for signals about US efforts to end the conflict, which has sparked worries about its impact on Asian security commitments and economies.

A gauge of US-China ties

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun is likely to be absent from the forum for a second consecutive year, reducing hopes for a high-level meeting between Beijing and Washington on the sidelines.Advertisement

“US-China relations, how they may evolve, the fundamental perceptions and positions each side holds towards the other, as well as their respective views on a range of regional security issues will certainly be a major focus this year,” Zhu said.

Asia-Pacific countries will be closely watching Washington’s evolving strategy and commitment in the region, as well as Beijing’s security posture and its positions on key issues including the South China Sea and Taiwan.Advertisement

Beijing and Washington have traded accusations over those issues at the forum in recent years.

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