by Liu Tian, Yi Ling and Xia Lixin
SINGAPORE, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Issues related to Asia-Pacific security and cooperation are expected to go through intense discussion at the upcoming Shangri-La Dialogue to be held here.
The event, scheduled from June 2 to 4, will attract experts on international relations, government officials and military officers to trade their ideas and exchange opinions.
The Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is believed to be top on the agenda, as pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been increasing, as Pyongyang has recently stepped up its nuclear and missile program.
The deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea, which Washington and Seoul claimed to be aimed at defending against threat from the DPRK, has gravely undermined the regional strategic balance and the security interests of regional countries including China, and runs counter to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
According to Japanese Asian affairs commentator Kaoru Imori, restarting multilateral dialogue could defuse tensions, and all stakeholders including the DPRK have not ruled it out.
Read the full story at Xinhua