The annual Asian Shangri-La Dialogue security conference is one of the reasons why Asia is much more interesting than Europe as a laboratory for the multipolar world.
Chinese Defense Minister General Li Shangfu arrives at the Asian Security Forum 'Shangri La Dialogue'. © Britta Pedersen / picture alliance via Getty Images
Last week, Singapore hosted the annual Asian Shangri-La Dialogue security conference. It has been organized for over 20 years by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
It’s probably the most representative forum in the region, even though the agenda is set by Westerners. It’s also arguably still the most accurate indicator of the general Asian mood and is now beginning to dictate the general global atmosphere.
There were a couple of landmark events at the 2023 edition. Perhaps the most interesting was Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu’s refusal to meet Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin on the margins. The démarche was quite cle...