The World Flocks to Singapore
Issue 51 — Key Developments Across the Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam
Editor’s Note
by Karen Ysabelle R. David, Lead Editor - Pacific Corridor Desk
As the month of May drew to a close, we saw the movers and shakers of the world’s defense community flock to Singapore for the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier security summit. Set against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions and complex security risks, the summit nevertheless provides a neutral venue for connection and discussions. For host Singapore, the summit was also a chance to reinforce its enviable role as a trusted convener for Asia and the rest of the world.
For Vietnam, whose own President To Lam gave the opening keynote address at the Dialogue, it was an opportunity to see and be seen as one of the region’s rising middle powers. At the same time, the Vietnamese leader highlighted in his speech the multiple crises facing the world today and the fragmented security environment that middle powers must learn to navigate.
But for the Philippines, foreign affairs takes a backseat amid the Vice President’s upcoming impeachment trial and a chaotic Senate. In the midst of head-spinning developments, a coalition of concerned citizens have launched Bantay Senado in an effort to keep the public informed and aware during a time of unprecedented political uproar.
Singapore 🇸🇬
Asia at a Crossroads: What the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 Reveals About the Region’s Security Future
by Jennifer Hui En Tan, in Singapore
The yearly Shangri-La Dialogue was held from 29 May to 31 May 2026, hosting more than 550 defense ministers, military chiefs, diplomats, and security analysts at Asia’s most closely watched security forum. This year’s dialogue opens against the backdrop of Middle East tensions, energy price volatility, and global supply chain uncertainty. Launched in 2002 by the International Institute for Strategic Studies with the support of the Singapore government, the Shangri-La Dialogue has grown into Asia’s premier defense summit, enabling decision makers from across Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Middle East to share policy response to common threats.
Throughout the years, the Shangri-La Dialogue has established itself as the region’s most important platform for strategic and defense diplomacy. The forum allows governments to explain their security policies, exchange perspectives on emerging threats, and engage directly with counterparts to manage tension and build confidence. In an era where geopolitical rivalries increasingly shape regional affairs, such opportunities for dialogue have become more valuable than ever.
This year’s dialogue shifted focus on a multitude of issues, such as the United States’ strategy in the Indo-Pacific, the strategic competition between the United States and China, and China’s evolving role in the Asia Pacific region. Furthermore, the dialogue focuses on the Middle East conflict and tensions involving Iran.
China’s level of participation has been increasingly viewed as a barometer of its broader relationship with Western powers and its willingness to engage in regional security discussions. As tensions between Beijing and Washington persist over issues ranging from Taiwan to trade and technology, China’s intentions and policy positions are closely monitored and are of interest.
Despite the significance of the Shangri-La Dialogue, it often remains a forum for discussion rather than decision-making. The summit does not produce binding agreements but is rather a platform for signaling intentions, communicating positions, and publicly airing disagreements. This limitation, however, does not diminish its importance. The dialogue’s value lies in its ability to provide a space where competing powers can engage directly despite heightened tensions. This helps reduce the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculations.
Singapore’s role as host carries significance: the state’s position as a neutral convener shows that the dialogue serves as a function that goes beyond formal agenda, but rather serves as a signal of the region’s continued relevance to the global security order. The summit reflects the broader balancing act faced by many Southeast Asian nations. ASEAN members continue to navigate the complex relationship between the United States and China to maintain productive ties with both, all while avoiding being drawn into great power rivalry.
As geopolitical tensions intensify and security challenges become increasingly interconnected, the Shangri-La Dialogue remains vital for fostering communication and strategic engagement. Though the summit does not produce binding agreements, its significance lies in bringing together key decision-makers to exchange views and manage tensions. The summit also reinforces Singapore’s role as a trusted and neutral convener in a fragmented international environment. As Asia navigates an increasingly uncertain strategic landscape, the Shangri-La Dialogue serves as an important reminder that dialogue, diplomacy, and cooperation remain essential to preserving regional stability.
Jennifer is a final-year International Relations student at the Singapore Institute of Management, where she focuses on political engagement, diplomacy, and community governance. She is an active volunteer in her constituency, working closely with residents to understand local concerns, facilitate dialogue, and support community initiatives.
Vietnam 🇻🇳
Vietnam at the Shangri-La Dialogue
by Sean Huy Vu
The Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), Asia’s premier security summit, was held in Singapore during the last weekend of May. The event is hosted annually by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a British think tank, and brings together diplomats, military officials, scholars, journalists, and key sectors of the private sector.
This event was the first time Vietnam, represented by President To Lam, made the opening keynote address at the forum. The Dialogue occurs just one month after President To’s election by the National Assembly, and during his first tours of Thailand and Singapore since reassuming office.
The SLD occurs amid a world of turmoil: the war in Iran, the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, concerns over freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and concerns about the autonomy of Taiwan. In its 2026 Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment, the IISS warned of the growing risks of nuclear conflict — particularly in the Korean peninsula — and the vulnerability of the Malacca Strait as a maritime chokepoint. It also criticized ASEAN’s rotating Special Envoy chair mechanism for preventing long-term stakeholder engagement over resolving the civil war in Myanmar.
These were some of the issues President To Lam indirectly touched on in his address. “While all nations continue to speak of peace, stability, and cooperation,” he remarked, “the strategic environment is marked by growing lack of trust, fragmentation, and unchecked competition.”
President To identified three “crises” occurring in the world: a crisis in the international order; a crisis in development models; and a crisis in strategic trust. In the first crisis, “commitments are repeatedly affirmed yet undermined in practice… [and] laws are interpreted selectively.” In the second crisis, economic development pathways are disrupted and can “evolve into social and political instability.” The final crisis, the decline of trust between states, can lead to a security dilemma. “Managing differences within a rules-based framework,” To Lam stated, ensures that “competition remains bounded, responsible and predictable.” He stressed the need for “rapid communication channels… transparency, dialogue, substantive information-sharing… clear codes of conduct… [and] robust technological norms” so that humans, rather than AI, are responsible for their own security.
Vietnam’s aspirations for maintaining a rules-based order contrast sharply with the United States. Rather than returning to the “utopian” status quo of the past 30 years, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth communicated the Trump administration’s ambitions to assert a more hegemonic foreign policy based on “realism.”
To Lam’s speech echoes Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum earlier this year. It captures the hopes and fears of middle powers in proactively shaping the international order for peaceful, stable development amid great power rivalry. Vietnam is arguably the archetypal middle power, having hosted summits with all members of the United Nations Security Council in less than a year between 2024 and 2025. Not only does the country’s participation at the IISS summit elevate its status internationally as a rising power on the global stage, it enhances its political legitimacy at home.
Sean is a scholar of East Asian history, culture, and international relations, with current research at Georgetown University examining working-class labor and human trafficking in the region. His broader interests include the social psychology of religion and identity politics. Sean previously taught modern Korean history at the University of California, Irvine, where he completed his B.A. in History, and later taught English in Ho Chi Minh City while studying Vietnamese language and culture. His writing has been published by UC Irvine, Johns Hopkins University, and Foreign Analysis.
The Philippines 🇵🇭
Why Citizen Coalitions Matter for Democracy
by Glenn Vincent N. Boquilon, in Angeles City
In democracies, power has always been rooted in the people. Citizen movements have long played a crucial role in ensuring that democratic institutions and practices are held intact. In the Philippines, the launch of Bantay Senado reflects this continuing tradition. Composed of students, academics, professionals, and ordinary citizens, the coalition seeks to monitor the upcoming impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte. The network also aims to provide a comprehensive and inclusive understanding of the proceedings for the ordinary Filipino.
Formally launched at De La Salle University last 3 June, Bantay Senado’s call to action highlights the need to be cautiously aware (mapagmatyag), openly informed (magpaliwanag), and show necessary clamorous defiance (mangalampag) throughout the impeachment trial. The network reiterates the Senate’s obligation and constitutional duty to conduct a fair and unbiased trial. The coalition spokesperson and convener, Prof. Cleve Arguelles, said that the network is non-partisan, and that regardless if the Vice President is convicted or found innocent, the trial is being held for the sake of the Filipinos and the mandate of the 1987 Constitution.
Public oversight is an often overlooked aspect of democracy. Coalitions like Bantay Senado show how organized citizen movement can encourage public participation in governance across groups. They take on the vital role of aiding checks and balances and ensuring that no abuse of power nor political ambition takes precedence over national interests. At present, the Senate of the Philippines has been riddled with controversies spanning from an incumbent senator evading an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court to involvement in the infamous flood control scandal. These further reinforce the need for a watchdog like Bantay Senado, as all of these are intertwined in the country’s current political climate.
As of their launch, Bantay Senado has recorded over 300 volunteers across the Philippines. One of the main initiatives of the network is to organize town hall meetings and bring the dialogue to the masses. These conversations will be done in everyday language, ensuring that complex terms and jargon are broken down and made easily digestible for ordinary citizens. Information materials posted on different social media platforms shall also be translated into major Philippine languages to reach a wider audience. Through these efforts, the coalition hopes to encourage greater public participation and help citizens better understand a process that could have significant implications for the country’s democratic institutions.
A huge front in monitoring the impeachment trials entails fighting off disinformation and misinformation campaigns. Carlo Flores, Executive Director of Team Pinas emphasized that this is the first impeachment trial in the country where social media and artificial intelligence can greatly influence public narratives. Therefore, Bantay Senado also has a responsibility to provide accurate and accessible information about the proceedings. The network aims to do this by offering fact-based explanations and regular updates. This will help the public separate verified information from misleading claims and ensure that discussions surrounding the trial remain grounded in evidence rather than speculation.
As the impeachment trial moves forward, it is imperative that the public continues to demand accountability and transparency from the Senate. While that narrative writes itself, another important story is unfolding alongside it: a new tale of citizens coming together to consolidate democratic practices and institutions. The Bantay Senado network serves as a reminder that power truly belongs to the people. Time and time again, it has been proven that democracy works best when people are willing to engage and be informed.
Glenn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Santo Tomas. His experience spans governance programs, policy development, and political research, having worked with the Ateneo School of Government and WR Numero Research on projects focused on electoral reform, public opinion, and regional development. He also helped coordinate the drafting of the Bangsamoro Local Government Code and supported the Academy of Multiparty Democracy.
Editorial Deadline 02/06/2026 11:59 PM (UTC +8)
