The 6th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue was successfully concluded on 3 June 2007.
China’s participation at a significantly more senior level than in previous years was the highlight of the Sixth IISS Asia Security Summit, the Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore from 1–3 June 2007.
Lieutenant General Zhang Qinsheng, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), led the Chinese delegation and gave an address in which he thanked the IISS and said: “It is due to its hard work that we have made our way to this Shangri-La Dialogue.”
Dr John Chipman, IISS Director-General and Chief Executive, said in his concluding remarks that the Summit had advanced understanding between the US and China in the military realm. ‘We look forward to ever-stronger delegations from the PLA as well as from other states so that this process of bilateral dialogue in an inclusive multi-lateral context can continue.’
Germany, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka attended the Dialogue for the first time, and several other countries stepped up their levels of participation and Japan was represented by its new, fully fledged Minister of Defense. The new US Secretary of Defense, Dr Robert M. Gates, attended the Dialogue for the first time. Greater frankness characterised the Dialogue’s proceedings, and participating delegations held a record number of private bilateral and multilateral meetings..
