The Beijing Xiangshan Forum
China is hosting the 20th Beijing Xiangshan Forum this week, its answer to Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue, drawing roughly 200 defence officials, former politicians and researchers from around the world for a three-day gathering. Defence Minister Dong Jun opened it on Wednesday in a notably softer tone than in past years, warning that a "zero-sum mindset" cannot solve today's problems, calling for multilateral cooperation and against exclusive blocs, and making a rare public offer to share China's military-building experience and assistance with foreign armed forces. He avoided direct mention of Taiwan or the South China Sea, which a retired PLA senior colonel read as a sign of growing confidence and lower tension with the US ahead of an expected Xi-Trump summit.
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As it ran
16 September 2026
- Xiangshan Forum: China’s defence chief says multilateralism a must South China Morning Post
- Defence chief Dong Jun: China is willing to share military experience South China Morning Post
- Defence chief Dong Jun omits Taiwan in milder Xiangshan Forum address South China Morning Post
- Fragility and cooperation: the takeaways from Dong Jun’s Xiangshan Forum speech South China Morning Post
- China’s defence chief on security fragility, military experience – as it happened South China Morning Post
- Xiangshan Forum: China’s defence chief on security in a fragile world – as it happened South China Morning Post
- Fragility and cooperation: takeaways from Dong Jun’s Xiangshan Forum speech South China Morning Post
- Chinese defence chief skirts flashpoints at Xiangshan Forum ahead of Xi-Trump summit South China Morning Post
- Iranian and Saudi panellists spar at Xiangshan Forum over Middle East attacks South China Morning Post
15 September 2026
- US-China ties haunted by lack of mutual trust, Beijing Xiangshan Forum told South China Morning Post