China Sets Agenda for 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on Security Governance

Preparations are complete for the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, scheduled for September 15 to 17 at the Beijing International Convention Center, according to a media briefing held by China's defense establishment. The event marks the 20th anniversary of the defense dialogue platform, which has expanded from an informal Track 2 academic exchange into a prominent Track 1.5 security forum. Centered on the theme of stability and security governance, the forum will feature four plenary sessions, eight parallel panels, closed-door academic exchanges, and the concurrent fourth China-Africa Peace and Security Forum.

As one of the Asia-Pacific region's primary multilateral defense gatherings, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum provides a high-level window into China's military diplomacy and strategic priorities. With representatives expected from more than 100 countries and international organizations, the meeting serves as an arena for major powers and Global South actors to articulate their positions on traditional armed conflicts, regional flashpoints, and emerging issues such as military technology and international law.

Preparations are largely complete for the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, scheduled to take place from September 15 to 17 at the Beijing International Convention Center, according to announcements made at an official media briefing in Beijing. Senior Colonel Li Fei, director of the Office of the China Association of Military Science, outlined the event's arrangements, confirming that this year's forum will center on the theme of "Building Consensus on Stability, Jointly Promoting Security Governance." The schedule includes four plenary sessions and eight parallel panel discussions, alongside dedicated closed-door academic sessions designed to facilitate candid discussions among delegates holding differing regional viewpoints. Organizers highlighted four primary features defining this year's conference. First, the agenda explicitly incorporates core Chinese strategic concepts, notably the Global Security Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, supported by high-level dialogues focused on the concepts of stability and governance. Second, the panel topics are designed to cover pressing security concerns, spanning traditional and non-traditional security challenges, regional hotspots, and the intersection of emerging military technologies with international legal frameworks. Third, the gathering commemorates the 20th anniversary of the forum's founding. Established in 2006, the platform began as a Track 2 academic dialogue involving roughly a dozen countries before evolving into an institutionalized Track 1.5 platform attracting defense ministers, military commanders, international organization leaders, and defense scholars from over 100 countries and multilateral bodies. Anniversary programming will include retrospective exhibits, promotional documentaries, and an exchange titled "20 Scholars Discussing 20 Years of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum." Fourth, the conference will be paired with the fourth China-Africa Peace and Security Forum, which is scheduled to run concurrently. Chinese defense officials stated that coordinating the two events is intended to pool institutional resources, synchronize thematic discussions, and magnify defense cooperation outcomes across developing partner states.