Muted Shangri-La Dialogue addresses emerging issues: 5 takeaways

Delegates grapple with AI, seabed security and regional flashpoints as China keeps low profile

Maj. Gen. Meng Xiangqing of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), led the Chinese delegation to this year's Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. © Reuters

SINGAPORE -- In some respects, the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's top defense conference that concluded on Sunday, was rather dull. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took a more restrained tone on Taiwan and China than previously even as Beijing again skipped sending its defense minister.