Forum seeking ways to de-escalate regional tensions
Credit to Author: Helen Flores| Date: Fri, 31 May 2024 00:00:00 +0800
SINGAPORE – The Philippines – along with other nations – hopes to thresh out ways of de-escalating tensions in the South China Sea at a defense summit here to be keynoted by President Marcos, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said yesterday.
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.
“Let me put forward that the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue is a vital venue to discuss and debate divergent positions on numerous issues, critical challenges, and emerging concerns,” Teodoro said. Marcos is expected to deliver his keynote address at 8 pm.
“Most important, however, we are all here to collectively manage, mitigate, and to reinvigorate the process of de-escalating regional and international tensions,” he said, apparently referring to the country’s spat with China over the latter’s aggressiveness in asserting its claim in the South China Sea.
“For my part, with the Shangri-La Dialogue considered as one of the most significant security and defense gatherings in Asia, I will reiterate and discuss further the 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.
He explained that the defense conference “is an excellent platform, under the guidance of President Marcos Jr., to amplify the 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 the fringes of the Shangri-La Dialogue 2024, where we will be engaging in discussions of strategic concerns between our countries,” he said.
More than 550 delegates from the defense and security establishments of more than 40 nations around the world are expected to attend the event at the Shangri-La Hotel here.
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.
A statement from the Presidential Communications Office described the IISS as the “leading global authority on geopolitics and strategy, producing analysis and exerting influence on matters of war, power and rules for governments, the private sector and the expert community worldwide” founded in 1958. The IISS has offices in Bahrain, Berlin, London, Singapore and Washington D.C.
The defense conference would be held against the backdrop of China’s imposing new restrictions on Filipino fishermen, specifically its four-month fishing ban in the South China Sea. The Philippines vowed to ignore the 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 the two countries, officials said.
In an interview with Manila-based journalists here on Wednesday, 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 the Philippines in April.
“So, there is not much expectation that there be much changes in the foreign policy and in the other policies of Singapore,” the Filipino diplomat added.
President Marcos is on a three-day working visit here upon the invitation of Lee.
The Chief Executive arrived here on Wednesday afternoon from a 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 a bilateral meeting with Lithuania Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte on the same day.
Yesterday, the President was scheduled for private meetings with other officials, the PCO said without giving details.
Macaraig said the Cabinet of Wong comprises the same members as Lee’s, his predecessor.