At Shangri-La hotel in Singapore

In its statement released on the website, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), an international affairs think-tank, said given that the dialogue draws participation from more than 40 countries, many of which have imposed travel restrictions, the IISS has decided that the only sensible course at this point is to notify delegates and other interested parties that the event will not take place this year.

Shangri-La Dialogue is an annual inter-governmental security forum attracting defence ministers and army chiefs from 28 Asia-Pacific countries. It also draws senior military officials, diplomats and weapons producers across the world since its first meeting in 2002.

The event also provides a platform to discuss regional defence and security issues while maintaining community sense in orientations to policymaking in the field./. VNA