Asia's largest annual security forum Shangri-La Dialogue opened in Singapore on Friday with a keynote speech from Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha.

The annual three-day summit is attended by regional defense ministers as well as US and European defense officials in order to discuss and debate a wide range of security issues affecting the region.

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One of the main topics of discussion at this year's summit is China's increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea as it continues to carry construction and alleged military activities across the artificial islands.

Both U.S and China have dispatched large delegations of defense and military officials to the annual summit this year. Ashton Carter, the US Secretary of Defense and one of the key officials in US delegation, will be giving his first speech at the the summit.   

Reports suggest that Carter would be raking up the South China Sea issue and defend the need for U.S freedom of navigation and operation in the disputed maritime territory during his speech.       

Carter's stance is likely to be challenged by Admiral Sun Jianguo and other Chinese military officials. However, the Chinese delegation reportedly won't be speaking until the third day of the summit.

On the first day, India's Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar and Japan's Minister of Defense, Gen Nakatani, will open the discussion following Carter's speech. Both are expected to take a critical stance over China's territorial claims.    

The Shangri-La Dialogue summit will be the last regional summit before the final ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at Hague in a case submitted by Philippines, challenging China's claim in South China Sea. Despite the increasing international pressure, China has maintained that it will not accept the judgment via an arbitration process.

TagsShangri-La Dialogue, South China Sea, china, US, Asia Security Summit, Admiral Sun Jianguo, ashton carter, Shangri-La summit