Defense & StrategyAnalysis

Vice President Han Zheng Outlines China's Global Security Proposals at Xiangshan Forum

At the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, Han Zheng presented a four-point proposal emphasizing the UN Charter, multilateralism, and emerging technology governance.

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The Brief

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng addressed the welcome banquet of the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on September 15, putting forward a four-point proposal for global security governance. Han urged adherence to the UN Charter, true multilateralism, dispute resolution through dialogue, and rules-based governance over emerging domains including artificial intelligence, cyberspace, and outer space. Senior military leaders, including Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin and Defense Minister Dong Jun, attended alongside official representatives from nearly 100 countries, regions, and international organizations.

Why it matters

The Beijing Xiangshan Forum serves as China's primary track-1.5 defense diplomacy platform to articulate its security doctrine and build multilateral consensus. With high-level delegations from nearly 100 countries and international bodies convening amid escalating geopolitical frictions, the principles and governance frameworks outlined by Beijing indicate its preferred mechanisms for international conflict management and technological rule-making.

China context

Han's address reinforced Beijing's established foreign policy architecture, including the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the Global Security Initiative framework. By explicitly invoking the defense of the post-World War II international order and opposing the threat or use of force, interference in internal affairs, and the resurgence of militarism, the rhetoric balances reassurance with resistance against Western-led bloc confrontation in the Asia-Pacific.

Editor's View

EDITOR'S VIEW — Analysis and inference, not factual reporting. The remarks reflect Beijing's strategic intent to position itself as a stabilizing force and legitimate rule-maker for emerging security challenges. Highlighting governance in AI, cyberspace, and outer space demonstrates an ambition to expand its defense diplomacy beyond conventional territorial disputes into global commons where international norms remain contested.

What to watch

  • Keynote remarks by Defense Minister Dong Jun during subsequent plenary sessions of the forum.
  • Bilateral interactions and defense dialogues between Chinese officials and Western or regional counterparts on the forum sidelines.
  • Concrete diplomatic proposals or multilateral mechanisms advanced regarding the military application of artificial intelligence and outer space security.

Key Takeaways

  • 1Vice President Han Zheng addressed the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum welcome dinner on September 15.
  • 2Han proposed four core principles: upholding the UN Charter, practicing genuine multilateralism, resolving disputes via dialogue, and setting governance rules for AI, cyberspace, and outer space.
  • 3China affirmed its commitment to defending the post-WWII international order and opposing unilateralism and military threats.
  • 4Top military officials, including CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin and Defense Minister Dong Jun, attended alongside representatives from nearly 100 nations and organizations.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng delivered an address at the welcome banquet of the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on September 15, presenting Beijing's vision for international security and multilateral governance, according to reports by Xinhua and the People's Daily. Speaking under the forum's overarching theme of "Promoting Peace for a Shared Future," Han noted that the international landscape faces intertwined transformations and turbulence. In response, he reiterated President Xi Jinping's concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind alongside China's core global initiatives, asserting that the broader historical trend toward multipolarity and economic globalization remains irreversible. Han outlined a four-point proposal for international security governance. First, he called for upholding the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, insisting on sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, and rejection of the threat or use of force to prevent international relations from reverting to the "law of the jungle." Second, he urged adherence to genuine multilateralism, respecting countries' self-determined development paths, social systems, and legitimate security concerns to build an inclusive global governance framework. Third, Han emphasized resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation, advocating for confidence-building measures and peaceful political settlements to prevent conflict escalation. Fourth, he stressed people-centered technological development, urging the international community to accelerate the formulation of governance rules in frontier domains including artificial intelligence, cyberspace, and outer space. Characterizing China as a responsible major country, Han stated that Beijing seeks to act as a stabilizer for global peace by exploring proper ways for major powers to coexist. He asserted that China firmly defends the post-World War II international order, opposes any resurgence of militarism, and promotes equitable multipolarity. The welcome banquet was attended by senior Chinese defense leadership, including Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin and Minister of National Defense Dong Jun, as well as official delegations representing nearly 100 countries, regions, and international organizations.