Hanoi (VNA) – The Shangri-La Dialogue 2018 is set to last from June 1-3 inSingapore with the participation of defence ministers and officials from 50countries worldwide and representatives from international organisations.

Takingplace ahead of the US-Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Summitscheduled for June 12, the dialogue will concentrate on the Korean Peninsulasituation, along with other issues regarding regional security.

The agenda includes five plenary sessions on USleadership and the challenges of Indo-Pacific security, de-escalating thecrisis in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, shaping new dimensions ofterrorism and counter-terrorism and raising the bar for regional securityco-operation. 

The event also features several sessions coveringsuch issues as new strategic technologies and the future of conflict, maritimesecurity enhancement, strategic implications of military capability developmentin the Asia-Pacific and the management of competition in regional securitycooperation.

US Defence Minister James Mattis will deliver aspeech on the US leadership in the Indo-Pacific region. Apart from the DPRKissue, Mattis will speak of the US’s viewpoints on an array of regionalmatters.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will presenta keynote speech at the dialogue, mentioning New Delhi’s role in shaping theregional order amidst global uncertainties. This is a first time an IndianPrime Minister has attended the Shangri-La Dialogue.

The Vietnamese delegation to the dialogue is ledby Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, who will address the third plenary session,focusing on changing security order in Asia.

Vietnam has been invited to attend the dialoguesince the first editions.

This is the fourth time a Vietnamese Defence Minister has participated in theevent, reflecting the country’s goodwill and wish to promote friendship andcooperation, and share experience with other countries in resolving commonsecurity challenges, thus building trust as a foundation to enhance cooperationfor peace and development.

This is a good opportunity for Vietnam to voiceits views on regional security issues relating to national legitimateinterests, towards peaceful settlement of disputes in line with internationallaw, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Convened by the London-based InternationalInstitute for Strategic Studies, the Shangri-La Dialogue is the most importantregular gathering of defence professionals in Asia-Pacific, a vital annualfixture in the diaries of ministers and their civilian and military chiefs ofstaff. 

Since its launch in 2002, the dialogue has builtconfidence and fostered security ties by facilitating easy communication amongthe region’s most important defence and security policymakers. -VNA