Wendell Minnick
SINGAPORE — The 15th Asia Security Summit opened Friday in Singapore with a keynote speech by Thailand’s Prime Minister, retired general Prayut Chan-o-cha, who assured attendees that democracy would return to Thailand despite criticisms of that country's 2014 military coup. He also said the constitution guaranteed an active role for the military in the country’s development. Delegates attending the speech traded amused looks, and occasional laughter could be heard, raising the question of whether his assurances are credible.
Commonly referred to as the Shangri-La Dialogue, run by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank, the annual three-day summit has become an unofficial conclave for regional defense ministers, along with European and US military officials, to openly discuss and debate security matters.
The primary interest to delegates attending this year is China’s assertive activities in the South China Sea as it continues to gobble up islets and challenge the passage of US Navy ships and aircraft through the area.
The summit also serves as the last regional security meeting before an expected ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague on challenges by the Philippines to China’s claims to most of the South China Sea, an area roughly the size of India. A ruling is expected by the end of the summer, but China has already stated it does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction.
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