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Online Citizen
2 days ago
- Politics
- Online Citizen
China to skip sending defence minister Dong Jun to 2025 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore
China will not send Defence Minister Dong Jun to this year's Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore, marking a notable departure from its usual high-level representation at the annual security forum. The announcement was made by China's Ministry of Defence on 29 May 2025, just one day before the forum is scheduled to begin. Instead of Dong, China will be represented by a delegation from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) National Defence University. This decision breaks a recent pattern of ministerial-level representation. Since 2019, China has consistently sent its defence ministers to the SLD, except during the 2020 and 2021 editions, which were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2025 forum will be held from 30 May to 1 June. Without Dong's presence, China will be unable to hold ministerial-level bilateral talks with countries such as the United States. The absence is likely to be felt, as China's participation at the SLD is typically one of the forum's highlights. It is one of the rare venues where foreign defence officials, scholars, and media can engage directly with senior Chinese defence representatives. At the 2024 event, Dong had met his then US counterpart Lloyd Austin, marking their first direct interaction. This year, the US delegation will be led by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, appointed under President Donald Trump's new administration. Observers note that bilateral meetings with the Chinese defence minister have traditionally been a key draw for other countries attending the SLD. China's participation in the dialogue began in 2011, when it sent a defence minister for the first time since the forum's inception in 2002. Between 2012 and 2018, China was typically represented by senior officials from the Academy of Military Science or the Central Military Commission (CMC). It was not until 2019 that China consistently began sending its defence ministers to lead the delegation. Amid strained US-China ties, visa revocations spark diplomatic protest The decision not to send Dong this year comes amid heightened tensions between China and the United States on multiple fronts. On the same day the Defence Ministry's announcement was made, Beijing also criticised Washington's move to revoke visas of Chinese students. Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning described the revocations as 'unreasonable,' stating they were based on ideological and national security grounds. 'China firmly opposes this and has lodged representations with the US,' said Mao. The US action was announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated that the country would begin aggressively revoking visas of Chinese students. The revocations would target individuals with alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying in sensitive fields. Beijing responded by urging Washington to adopt a more constructive stance towards stabilising bilateral relations. Ongoing military purge under Xi casts shadow over Dong's absence Internally, another possible factor behind Dong's absence could be the continued reshuffling within China's military leadership. Dong, who was appointed defence minister in December 2023, was reportedly subject to investigations in late 2024. Despite those reports, he has maintained a public presence, including engagements with foreign delegations. However, his position comes at a time when President Xi Jinping has initiated a sweeping anti-corruption campaign within the PLA. In April 2025, Xi removed General He Weidong, the second-highest-ranking officer in the PLA, following the earlier suspension of Admiral Miao Hua. Both were senior members of the six-person Central Military Commission, which oversees the PLA. The campaign reflects Xi's efforts to consolidate control and root out long-standing corruption within China's military establishment. Against this backdrop, China appears to be recalibrating its foreign defence engagements. By sending a lower-level delegation to the SLD, Beijing may be attempting to balance public diplomacy with its internal leadership adjustments. China is also positioning itself as a more stable partner amid US-led trade and security pressures in the Indo-Pacific. Chinese state media and diplomatic channels have in recent months run narratives portraying China as a bulwark against what it calls US 'bullying'.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Chinese students looking for new destinations amid Trump's visa crackdowns
In a shift from past trends, many Chinese students are now reconsidering the US as their top destination for higher education. This change follows the Trump administration's visa crackdown, casting uncertainty over their dreams of studying in the US. Anqi Dong, a 30-year-old lawyer from Shanghai, wanted to pursue a PhD programme from the University of Texas in Dallas. But now, he is thinking of pursuing it in countries other than the US. 'Everything is looking just too uncertain right now in America,' she said. 'I'm now considering programmes in Finland and Norway, which I never actually thought about before. These are rich and stable places,' Dong said, as quoted by Bloomberg. This is not just Dong's story. Many students, including those from India, are facing the similar challenges, as US President Donald Trump's tightened scrutiny on issuing international visas has made things uncertain in the US. Why is Trump cracking down on Chinese students? The US officials claimed the recent tightening of scrutiny on Chinese international students is primarily due to national security concerns and rising geopolitical tensions with China. US officials further alleged that some Chinese students — especially those in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields — could be involved in intellectual property theft or espionage on behalf of the Chinese government. US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have both emphasised the risk posed by students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Earlier this week, Rubio announced that student visas would be 'aggressively' revoked for individuals with links to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying in sensitive academic fields. New applicants from China and Hong Kong will also be subjected to intensified scrutiny. The Bloomberg report mentioned the sweeping nature of these actions — especially the broad definition of Communist Party ties — has sent shockwaves through Chinese academic circles. With around 100 million formal party members and far more indirectly connected, the net being cast is wide. Crackdown shakes Chinese academia in the US Zhou Huiying, founder of Shanghai-based consultancy Lideyouwei Education Technology, says the impact is already showing. 'At least 30 per cent of my clients have either cancelled plans to study in the US or are applying to schools in places like Australia, the UK and Singapore as backups,' she said, as quoted by Bloomberg. 'Some families, where the parents are Communist Party members working for the government, are pretty concerned and now abandoning the US as an option,' Huiying added. Confusion among Chinese students The confusion among students is exacerbated by a broader anti-China stance seen in Trump's second term, including a pledge to ban international students from top institutions, like Harvard. Interviews for student visas have also been abruptly halted at US embassies worldwide. Fangzhou Jiang, a student at Harvard Kennedy School and co-founder of college consulting firm Crimson Education, said, 'I'm still cautious because, number one, I tick both boxes at the moment, right? Both Chinese and Harvard,' he said. 'I've got some big targets on my back. So I don't want to be blindly optimistic.' According to news reports, education consultants across China have seen a spike in applications to countries like Canada, Australia, and European nations that offer high-quality programmes with fewer political hurdles. China is second largest international students source to US Even as the US remains home to hundreds of thousands of Chinese students — the second-largest international student population after India — enrollment has started to slip. In the 2023-2024 academic year, Chinese student numbers dropped by 4 per cent, with many citing political and visa-related concerns.
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Adlai E. Stevenson High School Class of 2025 members close book and move on to the next in their lives
Almost 1,200 seniors of the Adlai E. Stevenson High School Class of 2025 graduated at the 60th annual commencement at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates on Friday, May 23. The Class of 2025 began their high school trajectory as Stevenson Patriots after their middle school years, which were marked by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'If those years taught us anything, it was adaptability,' said Ryan Dong of Buffalo Grove, one of two students who offered a senior address from the stage and podium. Dong's speech reflected on the journey. 'Now, here we are, at the final sentence of this final chapter, bookmarks in hand,' Dong said. 'So as we walk across this stage, remember that we're not just closing a book, we're starting the sequel. 'No matter where life takes us, we carry these memories, each other, and the wisdom we've gathered along the way,' Dong said. 'Every ending is a beginning in disguise, because the future is yours to write.' Offering the second senior address was Maya Heller of Buffalo Grove, whose speech focused on the future. 'We don't know what comes next,' Heller said. 'But I look forward to our 10-year reunion, when we will look at each other and know that everything is working out. 'Until then,' Heller said. 'Trust in the process. 'Our futures are unfolding perfectly.' Amy Neault of Kildeer, president of the District 125 Board of Education and the parent of two Stevenson graduates, welcomed the audience from the stage and ended her remarks with a message to graduates. 'As you graduate and leave Stevenson to begin your next journey, I ask you to please remember the foundations you learned here, commitment to self, commitment to others and commitment to learning,' Neault said. 'Wherever you go and whatever you do next, please remember, as a community, we will always be here holding you up and cheering you on. 'Never forget, you are astounding,' Nealt said. Waiting in the queue with other seniors behind the scenes before the ceremony were Buffalo Grove seniors Pritha Biswas and Nicolett Tarnorutskaya. 'I'm so excited to leave but I'm going to miss all of the memories that I made,' said Tarnorutskaya, who is going to college to study biochemistry. Biswas is attending college to pursue veterinary sciences. 'Stevenson offers a larger variety of programs,' Biswas said. 'Our family actually moved here and picked this specific district for Stevenson because we've heard such amazing things about it. 'They give so much college support,' Biswas said. 'My counselors and support team have been amazing here.' Tarnorutskaya said about Stevenson, 'Being a Patriot means achieving success with the help of others, working in a community and maintaining strong relationships with everyone and striving to be the best person you can be.' Also, before commencement, Ruina Liu of Vernon Hills stood alongside graduates waiting to file into the arena. 'It's like it's not real, I can't believe I'm graduating,' Liu said with a laugh. Liu is going to college to study computer science. To Stevenson, Liu said, 'Thank you for providing such a surreal experience in high school and giving me opportunities.'
The Star
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
No top defence officials in China delegation at key summit
FILE photo. Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun speaks during the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue Summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, June 2, 2024. - Photo: AP file BEIJING: No top Chinese defence officials will attend a key regional summit in Singapore this week, Beijing said Thursday (May 29), despite ongoing tensions with the United States. The Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's top international defence forum, kicks off in the city-state on Friday (May 30). The meeting has historically offered rare opportunities for senior officials to hold face-to-face talks, and will be attended by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth this year. But his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, will not be in attendance, Beijing's defence ministry said at a Thursday press conference. Instead, the People's Liberation Army National Defence University has sent a delegation to take part, ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said. The delegation "will have in-depth exchanges with different parties to build more consensus", he said. Zhang did not say why Dong was not attending or whether the Chinese team would meet with US counterparts. Asked who was leading Beijing's delegation, he said he had "nothing more to add". Dong's absence comes after reports last year said he had been placed under investigation for corruption, something Chinese authorities have not confirmed. If true, Dong would be the third consecutive Chinese defence minister to come under a graft probe, following the removal of his predecessors Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe. - AFP
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
China downgrades attendance at Shangri-La Dialogue for first time since 2019, not send defence minister
Shangri-La Dialogue 2025 China will not send its defence minister to Shangri-La Dialogue for the first time since 2019 BEIJING – China will not send Defence Minister Dong Jun to the upcoming Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore, in a departure from Beijing's high-level representation at the annual security forum in recent years. Instead, China will send a People's Liberation Army National Defence University delegation, China's Ministry of Defence announced on May 29, just a day before the forum kicks off. This would be the first time since 2019 that China has not sent its defence minister for the forum, where China's views on issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea are closely watched. The forum is held from May 30 to June 1 in 2025. This means that China cannot hold bilateral meetings at the ministerial level with other countries such as the United States. At the 2024 forum, Admiral Dong met his then US counterpart Lloyd Austin for the first time on the sidelines of the event. This year, the new administration of US President Donald Trump will be represented by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. China's participation is among the highlights of the SLD. It is one of the few occasions where defence officials, academics and journalists from other countries can pose questions directly to a senior member of China's defence establishment. Other countries also find value at the SLD in being able to hold bilateral meetings with the Chinese defence minister. The annual forum began in 2002, but China sent its defence minister to the dialogue for the first time only in 2011. Between 2012 and 2018, its delegation was led by a senior official either from the Academy of Military Science or the Central Military Commission's Joint Staff Department , until its then defence minister, General Wei Fenghe, did so in 2019. Since then, China has sent defence ministers to defend its views on security issues and hobnob with their counterparts, except in 2020 and 2021, when the SLD was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr William Choong, a senior fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore who has written extensively on the SLD, believes it is a missed opportunity for China to not send its defence minister this time around, given diminished perceptions in the region of the US as a reliable partner and ally. 'The Americans have scored an own goal with its Liberation Day tariffs,' he told The Straits Times. He was referring to the across-the-board import tariffs the US imposed in April on its trading partners, including those in the Asia-Pacific, which have since been suspended, save for a baseline 10 per cent and other specific levies. The Trump administration has also not said anything about an overarching vision for Asia or the Indo-Pacific region, apart from Mr Hegseth visiting Japan and the Philippines, he noted. As for possible reasons for the defence minister's absence, the most important factor would be whether Adm Dong is cleared by the Communist Party of China (CPC) to attend the SLD, Dr Choong added. Adm Dong, who was appointed defence minister in December 2023, was reported to have faced investigations in late 2024, although he has since continued with his public-facing work, such as receiving foreign guests. Also, unlike his predecessors, Adm Dong has not been promoted to the Central Military Commission, the country's top military decision-making body headed by Mr Xi Jinping. Adm Dong had missed a key window of opportunity for promotion in July 2024, when the CPC held a major meeting. Observers have speculated whether this means his position is not fully assured. Another possible reason is how China could view the SLD, organised by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies think-tank, as less than conducive to deliver its narrative. Dr Choong said: 'To the Chinese, Shangri-La is basically – to turn the Chinese phrase on its head – a forum with US or Western characteristics, in the sense that there is freedom of speech and open debate and questions.' China prefers to give a prepared message, and does not want questions to distract from that, he said. 'But at Shangri-La, you get academics and journalists asking very direct and provocative questions of the defence minister.' China has been trying to build up the profile of its own Beijing Xiangshan Forum, founded in 2006, which usually takes place near the end of the year. For the first time, in April 2025, it held a preparatory meeting for Xiangshan, called the Navigator Meeting. The SLD also has a preparatory meeting each year, known as the Sherpa Meeting, which typically takes place in Singapore in January. While it is impossible to know for sure, China could be getting governments to attend the Xiangshan forum, said Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore, who specialises in Chinese foreign policy. It could also be because it does not want to engage in high-level bilateral talks with others, such as the US, at this time, he added. 'The PRC delegation had in the past complained that SLD is a venue where other governments press it, perhaps unfairly,' he said, referring to China's formal name the People's Republic of China. 'Non-attendance may also mean that the PRC has less of a voice to amplify its position. However, a more junior representation may also free up the PRC delegation to be more robust in their responses without direct attribution to their top leaders,' he said. Lim Min Zhang is China correspondent at The Straits Times. He has an interest in Chinese politics, technology, defence and foreign policies. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
