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Ways to de-escalate regional tensions
By Nidz Godino
“Let me put forward that International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue is vital venue to discuss and debate divergent positions on numerous issues, critical challenges, and emerging concerns,” Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to deliver his keynote address at 8 in the evening Philippines along with other nations hopes to thresh out ways of de-escalating tensions in South China Sea at defense summit .
Also expected to attend today’s 21st International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s largest defense conference, are China’s Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin III, among other key defense officials from various countries.
“Most important, however, we are all here to collectively manage, mitigate, and to reinvigorate process of de-escalating regional and international tensions, for my part, with Shangri-La Dialogue considered as one of the most significant security and defense gatherings in Asia, I will reiterate and discuss further President’s policies and pronouncements on security and defense matters during my engagements with various senior government officials, policymakers, scholars, and Dialogue participants” Teodoro said, apparently referring to country’s spat with China over latter’s aggressiveness in asserting its claim in South China Sea.
He explained defense conference “is excellent platform, under guidance of President Marcos Jr., to amplify Philippines’ national interest and positions on regional and international security and defense challenges.”
“I will be meeting with my various counterparts and senior government officials on fringes of Shangri-La Dialogue 2024, where we will be engaging in discussions of strategic concerns between our countries,” Teodoro said.
More than 550 delegates from defense and security establishments of more than 40 nations around the world are expected to attend event at Shangri-La Hotel.
Previous keynote speakers included Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Statement from Presidential Communications Office described IISS as “leading global authority on geopolitics and strategy, producing analysis and exerting influence on matters of war, power and rules for governments, private sector and expert community worldwide” founded in 1958. IISS has offices in Bahrain, Berlin, London, Singapore and Washington D.C.
Defense conference would be held against backdrop of China’s imposing new restrictions on Filipino fishermen, specifically its four-month fishing ban in South China Sea. Philippines vowed to ignore order.
Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Medardo Antonio Macaraig said they are not seeing any changes in foreign policy under new Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong that could lead to major shift in bilateral relations between two countries, officials said.
In interview with Manila-based journalists, Macaraig said Philippine officials expect Singapore’s programs and policies to continue as these have been studied and planned “thoroughly.”
“So, there won’t be much changes,” Macaraig said, quoting Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan who visited Philippines in April.
“So, there is not much expectation that there be much changes in foreign policy and in other policies of Singapore,” Filipino diplomat.
President Marcos is on three-day working visit in Brunei Darussalam upon invitation of Lee.
Chief Executive arrived from two-day state visit in Brunei Darussalam.
Marcos was also scheduled to hold separate talks with Wong and new Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam today. He is also set to meet Lee and hold bilateral meeting with Lithuania Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte on the same day.
Macaraig said Cabinet of Wong comprises same members as Lee’s, his predecessor.
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