Key facts
- China's annual Xiangshan Forum defense conference is set to open in Beijing.
- Defense Minister Dong Jun is expected to deliver opening remarks.
- The forum will address regional tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
- The event is seen as a Chinese rival to the Shangri-La Dialogue.
- The U.S. delegation will be headed by Cynthia Carras, principal director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia at the Pentagon.
- Vietnam and Malaysia will send their defense ministers or vice ministers.
China's military leadership is expected to outline its global security aims at the annual Xiangshan Forum in Beijing this week, amid heightened regional tensions. Defense Minister Dong Jun is slated to open the three-day event on Tuesday, where he is anticipated to advocate for closer international cooperation within a multi-polar world, while potentially including veiled criticisms of the U.S. and its allies, according to diplomats and analysts.
The forum, a tightly scripted Chinese counterpart to the more open Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, will host hundreds of military officers, diplomats, and scholars from numerous countries. Some regional envoys and analysts suggest that overt criticism of the U.S. and Western allies might be moderated due to President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to Washington to meet President Donald Trump. However, Japan could be a more accessible target for criticism, given existing tensions between Beijing and Tokyo, with one scholar anticipating China will criticize Japan's past and its perceived "remilitarisation."
Taiwan, which China considers its territory, does not participate in the forum. Dong's speech is expected to align with Xi's recent calls for greater representation for Global South countries in international affairs. Western nations typically send lower-level delegations, while some regional countries send ministers to balance relations with both China and the U.S.
The U.S. delegation is expected to be led by Cynthia Carras, the Pentagon's principal director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia. Vietnam will be represented by Defense Minister Phan Van Giang, and Malaysia by Vice Defence Minister Adly Zahari.
Experts note that while doubts about U.S. security commitments in Asia could create an opening for Beijing to promote regional defense managed by Asian countries, China's assertive behavior limits its ability to capitalize on this. Many Asian nations remain skeptical of China due to its actions in the South China Sea. The forum also provides an opportunity for foreign delegations to assess the impact of Xi's military corruption purges on leadership ahead of the Communist Party's congress next year, which will finalize the Central Military Commission's new leadership.