China will not send Defence Minister Dong Jun to this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore, marking a notable departure from its usual high-level representation at the annual security forum.
The announcement was made by China’s Ministry of Defence on 29 May 2025, just one day before the forum is scheduled to begin.
Instead of Dong, China will be represented by a delegation from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) National Defence University.
This decision breaks a recent pattern of ministerial-level representation.
Since 2019, China has consistently sent its defence ministers to the SLD, except during the 2020 and 2021 editions, which were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2025 forum will be held from 30 May to 1 June. Without Dong’s presence, China will be unable to hold ministerial-level bilateral talks with countries such as the United States.
The absence is likely to be felt, as China’s participation at the SLD is typically one of the forum’s highlights.
It is one of the rare venues where foreign defence officials, scholars, and media can engage directly with senior Chinese defence representatives.
At the 2024 event, Dong had met his then US counterpart Lloyd Austin, marking their first direct interaction.
This year, the US delegation will be led by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, appointed under President Donald Trump’s new administration.
Observers note that bilateral meetings with the Chinese defence minister have traditionally been a key draw for other countries attending the SLD.
China’s participation in the dialogue began in 2011, when it sent a defence minister for the first time since the forum’s inception in 2002.
Between 2012 and 2018, China was typically represented by senior officials from the Academy of Military Science or the Central Military Commission (CMC).
It was not until 2019 that China consistently began sending its defence ministers to lead the delegation.
Amid strained US-China ties, visa revocations spark diplomatic protest
The decision not to send Dong this year comes amid heightened tensions between China and the United States on multiple fronts.
On the same day the Defence Ministry’s announcement was made, Beijing also criticised Washington’s move to revoke visas of Chinese students.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning described the revocations as “unreasonable,” stating they were based on ideological and national security grounds.
“China firmly opposes this and has lodged representations with the US,” said Mao.
The US action was announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated that the country would begin aggressively revoking visas of Chinese students.
The revocations would target individuals with alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying in sensitive fields.
Beijing responded by urging Washington to adopt a more constructive stance towards stabilising bilateral relations.
Ongoing military purge under Xi casts shadow over Dong’s absence
Internally, another possible factor behind Dong’s absence could be the continued reshuffling within China’s military leadership.
Dong, who was appointed defence minister in December 2023, was reportedly subject to investigations in late 2024.
Despite those reports, he has maintained a public presence, including engagements with foreign delegations.
However, his position comes at a time when President Xi Jinping has initiated a sweeping anti-corruption campaign within the PLA.
In April 2025, Xi removed General He Weidong, the second-highest-ranking officer in the PLA, following the earlier suspension of Admiral Miao Hua.
Both were senior members of the six-person Central Military Commission, which oversees the PLA.
The campaign reflects Xi’s efforts to consolidate control and root out long-standing corruption within China’s military establishment.
Against this backdrop, China appears to be recalibrating its foreign defence engagements.
By sending a lower-level delegation to the SLD, Beijing may be attempting to balance public diplomacy with its internal leadership adjustments.
China is also positioning itself as a more stable partner amid US-led trade and security pressures in the Indo-Pacific.
Chinese state media and diplomatic channels have in recent months run narratives portraying China as a bulwark against what it calls US “bullying”.
The post China to skip sending defence minister Dong Jun to 2025 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore appeared first on The Online Citizen.
