Singapore – At the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier security forum, China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun was notably absent, marking the first time since 2019 that Beijing did not send its top military official, which raised concerns amid escalating US-China tensions. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth criticized China’s military assertiveness, stating the threat it poses is real and could be imminent, while analysts speculated that Dong’s absence was to avoid political risks during delicate relations with the US. Beijing has not disclosed the reason for his absence, leading to further speculation about the state of its military leadership and strategy.
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