Shangri-La Dialogue this year could be the most important ever amid geopolitical instability

THE Shangri-La Dialogue, which counts Asean’s Regional Forum and the Munich Security Conference as its predecessors, has been the Asia-Pacific’s premier geopolitical dialogue for around a quarter of a century.

However, in the wake of the Iran crisis and the wider, fast-moving geoeconomic and international relations landscape, this week’s event – which runs from Friday (May 29) to Sunday – is perhaps the most important ever.

Signs are growing that Teheran and Washington may be moving closer to a 60-day extension of the ceasefire in the Middle East, if not a fuller deal. However, the geopolitical order is still in constant flux, as evidenced by meetings across the Asia-Pacific region this week.