The Brief
The 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum opened in Beijing with approximately 2,000 participants from more than 100 countries, regions, and international organizations. Marking the 20th anniversary of the forum's founding, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun delivered a keynote address urging international defense partners to strengthen security coordination and mutual trust. Emphasizing that global security governance hinges on concrete action and tangible results, Dong reiterated China's commitment to advancing Beijing's Global Security Initiative, providing international public security goods, and addressing governance in emerging domains.
Why it matters
The Beijing Xiangshan Forum serves as China's premier multilateral defense and security dialogue platform, bringing together senior defense officials, military leaders, and strategic scholars. Against a backdrop of elevated geopolitical friction and regional security crises, the defense minister's remarks outline Beijing's official framework for defense diplomacy, multilateralism, and global security architecture.
China context
Marking two decades since the forum was established, China continues to position the Xiangshan Forum as an alternative and complementary venue to Western-led defense forums such as the Shangri-La Dialogue. Beijing's emphasis on action-oriented implementation aligns with its ongoing campaign to institutionalize the Global Security Initiative, portraying the People's Liberation Army as a provider of international public security goods.
Editor's View
EDITOR'S VIEW — Analysis and inference, not factual reporting.
While Beijing frames the Xiangshan Forum around consensus-building and multilateral dialogue, international observers will closely track whether the platform translates conceptual frameworks like the Global Security Initiative into measurable dispute management mechanisms. Dong's call to enhance governance in emerging domains signals expanding Chinese interest in setting international norms for cyber, space, and artificial intelligence security.
What to watch
- Potential bilateral and sideline meetings between Chinese defense officials and Western or regional counterparts.
- Specific proposals or consensus statements addressing governance in emerging security domains such as cyber, space, and AI.
- Divergent perspectives and debates voiced by participating delegates on active regional flashpoints.
Key Takeaways
- 1The 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum opened in Beijing under the theme 'Building Consensus on Stability, Jointly Advancing Security Governance.'
- 2Around 2,000 delegates from over 100 countries, regions, and international organizations attended the event, marking the forum's 20th anniversary.
- 3Defense Minister Dong Jun delivered a keynote address stressing that global security governance must prioritize concrete actions and measurable outcomes.
- 4Dong highlighted China's willingness to deepen military-to-military cooperation, implement the Global Security Initiative, and address security rules in emerging domains.
The 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum opened at the Beijing International Convention Center, bringing together approximately 2,000 official representatives, experts, scholars, and observers from more than 100 countries, regions, and international organizations, according to reports from Xinhua and China Military Online.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. Dong noted that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum. Addressing the plenary, Dong stated that global security is currently experiencing a fragile moment amid accelerating international shifts, making consensus on stability vital.
This year's forum convened under the overarching theme of "Building Consensus on Stability, Jointly Advancing Security Governance." In his address, Dong argued that the international community should adhere to a common security concept to build consensus, utilize multilateralism to safeguard stability, resolve disputes through dialogue and consultation, and deepen practical cooperation through an action-oriented approach.
Dong emphasized that the effectiveness of global security governance ultimately depends on concrete actions and visible outcomes. He stated that the Chinese military is ready to work alongside foreign armed forces to implement the Global Security Initiative, consolidate mutual security trust, enhance international security coordination, and improve collective defense capabilities.
Dong also highlighted the need to strengthen security governance in emerging domains—such as cyber, space, and artificial intelligence—and to expand the provision of international public security goods. The gathering remains one of Beijing's most prominent institutional platforms for conveying defense priorities and engaging foreign defense establishments.