DID Press: China’s annual Xiangshan Forum defense conference is set to begin in Beijing on Tuesday, amid growing tensions over Taiwan, the South China Sea and concerns about the United States’ security commitments in Asia.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun is expected to open the three-day forum with an emphasis on international cooperation and the creation of a multipolar world order. However, analysts are expected to watch for indirect criticism of the United States and its Western allies in his remarks.
Hundreds of military officials, diplomats and researchers from dozens of countries are attending the forum. Analysts say that, given a possible meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump later this month, Beijing may avoid direct criticism of Washington.
Japan, meanwhile, could become a major target of Chinese criticism, as relations between Beijing and Tokyo have become increasingly strained in recent months. Taiwan and the possibility of a military conflict involving China are also expected to be among the forum’s key issues.
Xi Jinping has previously called for a greater role for countries of the Global South in international decision-making, saying that domination of global affairs by one or several countries is incompatible with genuine multilateralism.