Asia defense summit opens amid doubts over U.S. priorities

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Asia defense summit opens amid doubts over U. priorities May 29, 20268:57 AM ET By The Associated Press A man walk near the entrance of the Shangri-La Hotel, the venue for the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's annual defense and security forum, in Singapore, Thursday, May 28, 2026. Achmad Ibrahim/AP hide caption toggle caption Achmad Ibrahim/AP SINGAPORE — China's rapid military modernization and assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific and growing concerns over American priorities are top issues on the table at Asia's premier defense summit drawing leaders, top diplomats and security officials from around the world.

The Shangri-La Dialogue, hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, also comes as the Middle East is increasingly on edge as new attacks have threatened the tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war. Russia, meanwhile, has intensified its war on Ukraine. Vietnamese leader To Lam opens the conference Friday with a keynote address, while U.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth starts Saturday's session with remarks focused on the Trump administration's Indo-Pacific strategy. Sponsor Message Vietnam navigates a delicate superpower balance Lam has consolidated his power in Vietnam this year, becoming both Communist Party general secretary and president of the strategically important Southeast Asian nation, departing from its tradition of shared leadership. Like several other countries in the region, Vietnam has competing maritime claims with Beijing that have led to confrontations, but at the same time is heavily tied economically to China, its biggest two-way trade partner.

, meantime, is Vietnam's largest export destination and has been seeking to make diplomatic inroads and expand defense contracts to try and pull some of that market away from Hanoi's traditional partner, Russia. Recently leaked documents showed, however, that even after elevating relations with Washington to the highest diplomatic level, Vietnam's military remained skeptical of American intentions and had taken steps to defend against a possible American "war of aggression. " With Hanoi performing a delicate balancing act with both Washington and Beijing, Lam was expected to keep his address focused on using consensus to manage differences and working jointly on regional stability and development.

Lam was expected to meet on the sidelines of the conference with Hegseth, who will be making his second appearance at the event. Last year in Singapore, Hegseth raised the ire of Beijing by saying " the threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent," and that its military was "rehearsing for the real deal. " Sponsor Message Hegseth said Washington would bolster its defenses to counter what the Pentagon sees as rapidly developing threats, particularly in China's aggressive stance toward Taiwan.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.