Chinese Defence Minister Calls for Shared Security and Cautions Against Historical Revisionism at Xiangshan Forum

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun opened the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on Wednesday with a sweeping address that called on the international community to halt provocative conduct and resist the resurgence of regressive historical trends. Speaking before an assembly of foreign dignitaries, military delegates, and policy analysts, Dong advocated for an inclusive model of global security governance while delivering subtle, thinly veiled critiques aimed at regional adversaries.

Throughout his inaugural remarks, the Chinese defence chief emphasized the necessity of collective action in maintaining international stability. He urged governments to adopt a fresh and cooperative framework for managing geopolitical friction, though his address remained broadly thematic, avoiding direct accusations against specific rival states such as the United States or Japan.

Dong highlighted the importance of historical awareness in contemporary statecraft, warning the audience against overlooking dangerous shifts in international relations. He stated that countries must remain acutely alert to emerging signs of hegemony, militarism, and historical revisionism. He further asserted that global forces committed to justice must unite to suppress such regressive tendencies rather than turning a blind eye to destabilizing actions.

The high-level security conference convenes amid an atmosphere of intense geopolitical unease across the Asia-Pacific. Key flashpoints, particularly sovereignty disputes over the democratically governed island of Taiwan and contested maritime boundaries in the South China Sea, continue to test regional peace, while broader questions linger over the long-term reliability of traditional security commitments maintained by the United States.

The diplomatic timing of the gathering is particularly delicate, as the forum takes place just one week ahead of a scheduled diplomatic mission by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington. The planned meeting between Xi and US President Donald Trump has prompted observers to view Dong’s measured tone as a calculated effort to manage tensions prior to the high-stakes bilateral summit.

Over the course of the last two decades, Beijing has methodically transformed the Xiangshan Forum into its signature venue for security dialogue and defence diplomacy. The three-day event functions as a carefully structured alternative to Singapore’s annual Shangri-La Dialogue, affording Chinese leadership a prominent international platform to articulate its strategic perspectives.

By convening hundreds of scholars, diplomats, and senior military personnel from across the globe, the conference is designed to champion a multipolar international order. China uses the gathering to amplify the voices of the Global South and advocate for a security architecture that moves away from unilateral alliances.

Prior to delivering his keynote speech, Dong laid the groundwork for the conference through a series of bilateral discussions with visiting defence representatives. In separate talks with officials from Myanmar, Brunei, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia, as well as the Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Kao Kim Hourn, Dong promoted deeper military cooperation and shared security frameworks.

Although Dong avoided explicitly naming regional rivals, his warnings against historical revisionism align with Beijing’s persistent criticism of Tokyo. Bilateral relations between China and Japan deteriorated significantly following statements made last year by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested that a hypothetical Chinese military offensive against Taiwan could provoke an armed response from Japan.

Beijing, which maintains that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, interpreted Takaichi's remarks as a dangerous pivot toward Japan’s militaristic past. In response to political shifts in Taipei and foreign support for the island, Beijing has steadily intensified its military operations and staged regular war games around Taiwan, while the government in Taipei continues to reject Beijing's sovereignty claims.

The strategic friction between the two Asian powers was further underscored by remarks from prominent Chinese analysts attending the forum. Wu Shicun, chairman of the Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance, warned in comments to the Chinese news service CNS that Tokyo’s expanding footprint in regional waters represents a profound long-term risk.

Wu asserted that, from a strategic standpoint, Japan’s increasing involvement in the South China Sea could prove even more disruptive to long-term stability than the presence of the United States. He contended that Tokyo views the vital maritime corridor as a staging ground to extend its influence into Southeast Asia and assert control over critical maritime transit routes.

According to Wu, these Japanese initiatives threaten to undermine ongoing multilateral efforts, complicate consultations surrounding a regional Code of Conduct, and create substantial barriers to the peaceful resolution of maritime disputes. He urged regional nations to remain fully vigilant regarding Tokyo's strategic intentions.

The complex geopolitical landscape was also mirrored in the varying levels of diplomatic representation at the Beijing forum. Western powers opted for limited engagement, dispatching lower-ranking delegations to observe the proceedings, with the United States contingent headed by senior Pentagon official Cynthia Carras.

Conversely, neighbouring states seeking to balance their relations between Beijing and Washington sent senior defence leadership to the event. High-ranking attendees included Vietnamese Defence Minister Phan Van Giang and Malaysian Vice Defence Minister Adly Zahari, alongside a delegation from North Korea’s Ministry of National Defence led by Vice Minister Kim Kang Il.