Shangri-La Diplomacy: Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta used the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue to argue that peace needs prevention as much as defence, warning that missiles and tanks can’t rebuild trust or stop conflict at sea. ASEAN Ties: Ramos-Horta also met Vietnam’s President Tô Lâm in Singapore, with both leaders stressing deeper cooperation after Timor-Leste’s ASEAN membership in 2025. Regional Security Push: Vietnam President Tô Lam said solutions to global crises should come from the Asia-Pacific, where US-China rivalry is increasingly shaping the region’s security and development pressures. Budget Watch: Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão presented a proposed first amendment to the 2026 General State Budget, citing global energy-market shocks and proposing a national strategic fuel reserve worth US$174.3 million. Energy Outlook: A report says Woodside’s Greater Sunrise gas project could still end up on Australian soil, while Timor-Leste and Woodside continue work under a cooperation agreement to mature the TLNG development concept.