Macron is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech on Friday evening, addressing these topics as well as the strain caused by the steep tariffs introduced under U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which affect Asian allies.

This marks Hegseth’s first appearance at the Shangri-La Dialogue, organized by the International Institute for Security Studies, taking place amid rising tensions between Beijing and Washington. The Trump administration has warned China with threats of tariffs exceeding 100%, and there is uncertainty in the region about America’s commitment to defending Taiwan—an island facing potential 32% U.S. tariffs.

China views Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, as its territory, and President Xi Jinping has not excluded the possibility of using force to assert control. China regularly sends military aircraft, naval vessels, and spy balloons near Taiwan in a campaign of continuous harassment, with an aircraft carrier currently positioned southeast of the island.

Before departing for Singapore, Hegseth told reporters that U.S. policies aim to deter any Chinese invasion of Taiwan. “We seek no conflict with anyone, including Communist China,” he said. “We will maintain strength in protecting our interests. That’s a key focus of this trip.”

Typically, China’s defence minister attends the Shangri-La forum, but this year China sent a lower-ranking delegation led by Major-General Hu Gangfeng, vice-president of the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University. The delegation was set to participate in a panel on “cooperative maritime security” alongside representatives from Japan, Vietnam, Chile, and the U.K. This is notable given China’s aggressive fishing activities, which have raised concerns not only in the Indo-Pacific but also as far afield as Latin America and the Arctic.

Defence officials traveling with Hegseth, speaking anonymously as they were not authorized for media comments, viewed China’s lower-level delegation as an opportunity for the U.S. to advance its influence. “We can’t predict China’s level of engagement. All we know is that we’re present, and we will remain so,” Hegseth said during a meeting with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

Hegseth’s Singapore trip is his second visit to the region as defence secretary, following his March visit to the Philippines, which has experienced increasing tensions with China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The U.S. is pursuing a “free and open Indo-Pacific” policy, which includes frequent naval passages through the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea—an area nearly fully claimed by China.

While the European Union’s approach is more focused on economics, several European countries have also regularly participated in freedom of navigation exercises. France recently completed a five-month Indo-Pacific mission with a carrier strike group that ended in April.

France’s Indo-Pacific strategy emphasizes the importance of upholding a “rules-based international order” in response to “China’s rising power and territorial claims” and its competition with the U.S.

France maintains strong connections to the Indo-Pacific region, with over 1.6 million French citizens living in overseas territories there.

After meeting Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday, Macron told reporters that the region has space for more than just the two superpowers. “We are neither China nor the U.S., and we do not want to depend solely on either,” he said. “We aim to cooperate with both as much as possible for growth, prosperity, stability for our people, and the world order. Many countries in the region share this view.”

Wong echoed Macron’s sentiment, emphasizing that Singapore and the wider region are not seeking exclusive partnerships with any single power. “We want to engage broadly with all parties and pursue win-win outcomes instead of zero-sum competition,” he said.

Antonio Costa, the meeting’s chair, told reporters, “Today we have shown that the European Union is stepping up to the challenge, building a Europe of defense, and standing firmly with Ukraine.”

EU leaders strongly backed recent proposals from the European Commission, which would offer fiscal flexibility for defense spending and allow the EU to collectively borrow up to 150 billion euros ($160 billion) to lend to member states for military expenses.

In a joint statement agreed upon by all 27 member states, the leaders urged their ministers to urgently examine these proposals in detail.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaking at the summit, said, “Europe must rise to face this challenge and arms race. It must emerge victorious.” He added, “As a united force, Europe can win any military, financial, or economic confrontation with Russia—we are simply stronger.”

French President Emmanuel Macron, who had told French voters the previous day that Russia posed a serious threat to both France and Europe, stressed that this was just the beginning. “Regardless of the outcome in Ukraine, we must create independent defense capabilities within Europe,” he stated after the EU summit.

EU leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine, though Hungary’s nationalist leader Viktor Orban—an ally of former President Trump, who has also been cultivating ties with Moscow—was not part of the agreement. In a joint statement, the other 26 EU leaders emphasized that any negotiations involving Ukraine must include its direct participation and pledged to continue supporting the country. According to a recent draft, they reiterated their determination to stand by Ukraine.

“We are here to defend Ukraine,” Costa said as he and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, both smiling, warmly greeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the summit. This reception stood in stark contrast to the recent tensions between Trump and Zelenskiy during their Oval Office meeting.