China’s defense minister to attend Singapore security forum

ISTANBUL

China’s Defense Minister Dong Jun will attend the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore this week, Beijing said on Monday.

It is Dong’s second public overseas trip since being appointed last December, replacing Li Shangfu who was unceremoniously removed in October. Earlier, he visited Kazakhstan for a regional security conference.

Dong will visit Singapore from Wednesday until Sunday, said the Chinese Defense Ministry.

He will address the summit on the topic of "China's Approach to Global Security," it said.

Officials from almost 50 nations are expected to attend the three-day summit.

Dong will meet with the heads of delegations of relevant countries, said the ministry.

US defense chief Lloyd Austin will be among the participants and he is expected to meet Dong.

While no US defense chief has visited China since Jim Mattis visited Beijing in 2018, the two sides held defense talks at the highest level when Austin met former Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe in Cambodia in November 2022.​​​​​​​