How Hegseth might shift his tone on Taiwan at this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue

Chinese delegates attending the Shangri-La Dialogue anticipate a less confrontational US tone on Taiwan this year, despite the issue being a major point of contention in China-US relations. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to deliver remarks at the annual security conference in Singapore on Saturday. His speech will be closely monitored by Beijing and regional allies for indications of a policy shift. This follows a recent high-stakes summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. The focus is on whether Hegseth's address will signal a change in Washington's approach to the Taiwan issue.