Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Photo: VCG

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's attendance of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore should remind Asian countries to not fall for a similar trap that the Ukraine had fallen into as the instigation of the US for bloc confrontation in Asia is dangerous, experts said. 

The Ukrainian President's participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue is the first in the history of the dialogue, Lieutenant General He Lei, former vice president of the Academy of Military Sciences of the PLA, told the Global Times on Saturday at the venue of the Dialogue. "During the intense conflict between Russia and Ukraine, President Zelensky's personal participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue is of significance," he said.

"China does not want to see war between these two countries," he said.

He noted that since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, China has consistently adhered to the policy of "urging peace and promoting dialogue," hoping that the conflicting parties will reach a cease-fire as soon as possible. 

He pointed out that "urging peace and promoting dialogue" is the most feasible way to resolve the conflict, rather than, like some countries did, harboring sinister motives, exacerbating the situation, and stoking chaos in the world and engaging in "proxy wars." 

This will only make it difficult for the conflicting parties to stop and talk, which is a scenario and outcome that we do not want to see, he said. 

On Sunday, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun emphasized at the Dialogue that China maintains a responsible and impartial stance in the conflicts in Ukraine and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, is committed to promoting peace and dialogue, and strictly controls the export of military-civilian dual-use goods.

Zelensky's participation in the Dialogue seems more like a Western attempt to involve Asian countries in the Ukrainian crisis, observers said. Asian countries should see Ukraine as a cautionary tale, they said. 

"The Shangri-La Dialogue is supposed to be a conference where China and the US, as well as other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, seek consensus among their militaries to avoid conflicts in the region," Cui Heng, a scholar from the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, told Global Times.