Filipino President Addresses IISS Shangri-La Dialogue 2024
Asia’s Premier Defence Summit
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of the Philippines delivered the keynote address at the 21st edition of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, which commenced in Singapore on May 31, 2024.
Recognised as Asia’s premier defence summit, this year’s event (May 31-June 2, 2024) is an insightful platform for strategic discourse.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin also addresses this year’s event in Singapore. Pentagon officials said Austin met with his Chinese counterpart on May 31 to discuss contentious issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea and the importance of communication between the United States and China.
Singapore’s Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, speaks at the seventh plenary session on June 2 on the topic ‘Reimagining Solutions for Regional Stability’.
The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) confirmed President Marcos Jr.’s participation following discussions between the Filipino president and IISS Executive Chairman Sir John Chipman KCMG in December 2023.
The IISS Shangri-La Dialogue is a pivotal gathering that draws defence ministers, military leaders, senior officials, business figures, and security experts from across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, and beyond.
With past keynote speakers, including notable figures such as Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, the significance of President Marcos Jr.’s address was eagerly anticipated.
Dr Bastian Giegerich, Director-General and Chief Executive of IISS, commended the Philippines under President Marcos Jr.’s leadership for its enhanced regional stability and security role.
Key Leadership
Since assuming office in June 2022, President Marcos Jr. has bolstered the Philippines’ strategic partnerships amid geopolitical uncertainties, a testament to his commitment to a stronger and more prosperous Asia-Pacific.
Over 550 delegates from defence and security establishments representing more than 40 nations have convened at this year’s IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore.
Initiated by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in 2002, the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, also known as the Asian Regional Security Summit, is a paramount platform for discussing the pressing security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.
The ongoing summit, the 21st edition, underscores the commitment to fostering dialogue and cooperation in the face of global uncertainties.
Established in 1958, the International Institute for Strategic Studies is a leading global authority on geopolitics and strategy.
With offices in Bahrain, Berlin, London, Singapore, and Washington, DC, the IISS is pivotal in generating insights, conducting analysis, and influencing worldwide discourse on war, power, and governance.
Renowned for its rigorous research and influential publications such as The Military Balance, the IISS is also recognised for organising key summits, including the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue and the IISS Manama Dialogue.
Featured image: (L-R) IISS Executive Chairman Sir John Chipman KCMG with Philippines President Marcos Jr. in Manila in December 2023 to discuss the 2024 Shangri-La Dialogue. Credit: IISS Shangri-La Dialogue
