By Herman Tiu Laurel

 

Every year, Western mainstream media trumpets the events of the so-called Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). The IISS describes itself as “ an international research institute or think tank focusing on defense and security issues” that is headquartered in London. Because of the IISS name and the high-ranking Singapore officials that preside over its many activities, many have mistaken the Dialogue to be a Singapore project, but it is actually British.

The current Director-General of the IISS is Bastian Giegerich, former functionary of the German Ministry of Defense and Bundeswehr. AI research also reveals that the UK intel service MI6 is linked with the IISS. These facts about the IISS should shed some light on the prism used in organizing the different activities of the Shangri-la Dialogue that display the geopolitical straddling of Singapore between the East and the West. The MI6 and the Pentagon use the Dialogue as a venue to surface nuances of Asia’s geopolitical situations and as an annual “cognitive warfare” event platform.

In 2017, during the first Trump administration, the U.S. declared China as its “strategic competitor.” Since then, China has been a particular topic of interest at the Dialogue. In 2019, the keynote speaker was Premier Lee Hsien Loong. Also in attendance was State Councilor General Wei Fenghe, the high-ranking Chinese Minister of National Defense. In this year’s holding of the event, the tradition of Chinese attendance was broken. The absence of a Chinese high-level delegation was likely the result of the deterioration of US-China relations and increased US-Philippine proxy-war propaganda against China.

The plot of the 2024 Dialogue was to make Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., the keynote speaker to highlight the Philippines’ claim to the so-called West Philippine Sea (WPS), whose existence was debunked a year later by then-congressman and newly-elected Philippine Senator Rodante Marcoleta.

The 2025 Dialogue featured Philippine defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, who failed to make any substantial comments, except to provide ineffectual answers to provocative questions from imagined “pretend journalists” and slither away from live interviews.

What are considered the highlights of the 2025 Shangri-la Dialogue were the speeches of French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Macron called for a coalition between Europe and Asia that is independent of both the U.S. and China. The exclusion of China from this coalition was received with incredulity by Asian participants given the ongoing chaos in Europe that is exemplified by France, which is mired in internal divisions. Macron chided the U.S. for the “unpredictability of U.S. tariffs (that) jeopardizes the prosperity of both Asia and Europe…” and pushed the widely unwelcome “Asian NATO.”

According to the Washington Post headline, U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth “warns of China ‘threat.’” The Post added that few want to pick sides between the U.S. and China, a clear signal that the U.S. is not getting its way anymore. Cynicism about Hegseth and U.S. motives was heightened when the U.S. defense secretary hammered his “China threat,” demanding Asian countries to “boost military spending” in the face of “imminent threat from China.” For the nine ASEAN countries now cooperating with China, this is ridiculous to hear.

Time magazine’s edition of June 2, 2025, headlined the story that says it all about Hegseth’s speech at the Dialogue, “Pete Hegseth Talked a Big Game to Indo-Pacific Allies—but Trump Mistrust Runs Deep.”

Hegseth used the Taiwan bogeyman to issue provocative statements against China, prompting Beijing to respond that Washington “must never play with fire on the Taiwan question… (which is) entirely China’s internal affair.” All told, the U.S. agenda for the Indo-Pacific is to use proxies to stir up tensions and sell more arms as long as it can.

China continues to promote stability, predictability, and “inclusive cooperation” to preserve the upward spiral of growth and prosperity amidst peace and tranquility in the Asia-Pacific region and expand to the rest of the Global Majority through continuing multilateral economic, financial, infrastructure, and trading programs. ASEAN will continue to work even more closely with China.

The Shangri-la Dialogue IISS production manager this year had a comedy skit in mind for the Philippines to perform. Featuring The Oaf, Philippine defense puppet secretary Gibo Teodoro, speaking the voice of the ventriloquist master, did a hilarious spiel, evaded real questions, and while oafishly lumbering off from the forum hall, had aides physically stop journalists from interviewing him. The media reports that U.S. “little brown brother” Brawner joined Teodoro in “slamming” China media’s “deliberate disinformation,” but no one is fooled.

China is right not to dignify the Shangri-la Dialogue anymore with the presence of its Minister of National Defense to the farce that the event increasingly turns out to be as its sponsor, the “empire” of the West, faces its sunset in Asia desperately trying to turn the tide of decline.

ASEAN is the real target audience of the farcical Shangri-la Dialogue, but ASEAN has shaken off the last vestiges of neo-colonialism and marches towards the new era of the multipolar world of forever peace and prosperity. ASEAN watches the farce of the IISS and the Philippine comedy with patience and politeness but will not budge from its neutralism and cooperation with constructive projects with all nations aiming for the peace and prosperity of the global community.

It is important to note that The Oaf and the “little brown brother” and the government they represented at the Shangri-la Dialogue no longer speak for the Filipino nation. The results of the recent midterm elections in the Philippines constitute the start of a redirection of the country from vassalage to the Western powers back to the exercise of the constitutionally mandated Independent Foreign Policy and practice of neutralism and nuclear weapons freedom as enshrined in two ASEAN pacts—the ZOPFAN and the SEANFTSEANWFZ*. ###

*Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality and Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone.

   

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