Government leaders, defense officials, and diplomats from various countries are convening in Singapore for the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, a prominent security forum in Asia. The gathering comes at a time of escalating competition between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific region.
China's increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea, where it claims vast territorial waters, has raised concerns among neighboring countries like the Philippines and Vietnam. In response, the U.S. has been conducting military exercises with allies to uphold the concept of a 'free and open Indo-Pacific,' emphasizing freedom of navigation in disputed waters.
