Würzburg, Bavaria, May 15, 2026: German Defense Secretary Carsten Breuer takes part in the 104th German Catholic Day panel discussion under the motto “Between deterrence and diplomacy”. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa – Note: For editorial use only, with full credit above (Photo by: Sven Hoppe/picture Alliance via Getty Images)
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Germany’s Defense Minister Carsten Breuer said on Saturday that China was missing an opportunity for dialogue by not convening a ministerial-level delegation to the annual defense forum in Singapore.
Speaking at a media roundtable on the sidelines of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Breuer said China is losing this opportunity as the world becomes more “competitive.”
This is “dangerous,” he said, warning that “never in my 42 years as a soldier have I experienced such dangerous times as we are living in the world today.”
Breuer’s comments came after China’s Eastern Military Defense Minister was absent from the meeting for the second year in a row, and the Chinese government sent a junior delegation led by Maj. Gen. Meng Xiangqing of the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University.
“I highly recommend using all dialogue forums to discuss with each other and compare not only notes but also opinions…This is necessary (from my point of view).”
His comments also come after U.S. Army Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized China earlier Saturday, saying that “no nation, including China, can impose its hegemony and threaten the security and prosperity of our nation and our allies.”
This does not mean that there is no contact with China. The German defense chief said that dialogue with members of the Chinese delegation here is still taking place, “but of course it would be better to hold the dialogue at a higher level,” Breuer added.
Breuer was asked whether the conversation he had was a “real dialogue” or whether both sides simply stated their positions and walked away.
“I consider this a real dialogue…Of course, you all have national positions and this is clear, but you can also explain within those national positions. This is what we are doing, especially on the military side,” the German general replied.
But defense officials from other countries have a different view.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told CNBC: “I feel like their presence here is minimal as a value proposition…It’s more about pushing the party line than constructive engagement.”
“So, as far as I’m concerned, it’s not a big loss for me,” Teodoro added.
