Chen Lin, Idrees A.

SINGAPORE (Reuters), – Both the United States and China expect to take advantage of Asia’s top security conference this week in order to trade accusations over issues ranging from Taiwan’s sovereignty, to war in Ukraine. But both sides indicated a willingness for negotiations to resolve differences.

Shangri-La Dialogue is a gathering of top-ranking military officers, diplomats, and weapon makers around the world. It will take place in Singapore between June 10-12. This event marks the return to the Shangri-La Dialogue after being held twice due to COVID-19.

The summit will also include the U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, and the Chinese Minister for National Defence General Wei Fenghe. This is their first meeting face to face since the election of President Joe Biden more than two decades ago.

A senior U.S. official stated that “we expect the substance of this meeting to focus on managing competition in global and regional issues.”

Chinese media reported also that Beijing plans to use the meeting for cooperation with the United States.

Austin and Wei will likely use the weekend’s speeches to reiterate their commitment to Asia-Pacific, as well as make some sharp remarks at each other.

In recent months relations between China and America have become tense. The two world’s largest economies are at odds over anything from Chinese aggression towards Taiwan to its military activities in South China Sea, and Beijing’s efforts to increase their influence in the Pacific.

The summit’s focus is on Asian security matters, but Russia’s invading of Ukraine will continue to be central to the discussions. Last week, the conflict that has claimed the lives of tens and thousands, displaced millions of people, reduced many cities to rubble, and effected the death of countless others, reached its 100th birthday.

A source who is familiar with the attendance list said that Ukraine would send a delegation, but not the Russians.

Li Mingjiang is an associate professor at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore. “American participants will utilize the occasion to criticise China’s strategic partnership with Russia.”

“We will see inferences from the China-Russia partnership, a coalition of autocracies… China will defend its relationship with Russia and their policy as a response to Ukraine.”

“COME ON OUT SWINGING!”

Austin will feel pressured to convince China’s Asian rivals that Washington can be relied upon, with U.S. diplomatic capital and military resources being soaked up in the conflict in Ukraine.

“They claim that China poses a threat to the world and are even claiming it is an imminent threat. It seems that a large part of attention and resources are going to Europe,” Elbridge Colby said, an ex-high ranking Pentagon official. It’s more than just words. You have to walk the talk.

A lot of the conference will be devoted to Taiwan, as well as bilateral talks between China & the United States.

China has intensified military activity around Taiwan over the last two years to respond to “collusion” between Washington and Taipei.

Derek Grossman is a senior defense analyst with the RAND Corporation. He said that the U.S. would strike back on Taiwan and China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.

Biden stated this month that the United States would intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan. However, the Obama administration clarified that the U.S. position on the matter hasn’t changed, and Washington doesn’t support Taiwan independence.

Washington’s policy has been one of long-term strategic uncertainty regarding whether or not it will defend Taiwan militarily.

Washington is also focusing on the Pacific Islands as part of its strategic rivalry with China.

Biden’s special representative will visit Marshall Islands next week, amid increasing U.S. concerns about China’s attempts to increase its power in the region. The 10 Pacific Foreign Ministers met in virtual meetings hosted by Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister. They agreed not to consider a Chinese proposal on a broad trade and security deal.

The Shangri-La Dialogue also has the growing military threat from North Korea. This country, with at least 18 rounds weapons testing this year, is underscoring the rapid development of its nuclear and missile arsenals.

On Wednesday, officials from South Korea and the United States stated that North Korea’s missile testing was “serious, illegal” provocations.

Fumio Kishida, the Japanese Prime Minister will inaugurate the conference Friday by delivering a keynote address in which he expects to appeal for peaceful resolutions of disputes in the Asia Pacific region.

Reporting Idrees Chen Lin and Ali; writing by Joe Brock; editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan