Beijing Xiangshan Forum focuses on promoting peace for a shared future

Security conference to host military leaders and experts from across the world

The 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, a high-level security and defense conference themed Promoting Peace for a Shared Future, is scheduled to open on Sept 12.

The three-day event will feature four plenary sessions, eight simultaneous special sessions and six seminars, as well as special academic activities such as high-end interviews, leading experts' dialogue, young military officers' and scholars' seminar, and a "Shanghai Cooperation Organization+" young scholars' salon.

The level of delegates attending this year's forum has reached a new high, with a more balanced representation of cultures, countries and regions. Additionally, the forum's long-standing advocacy for openness and inclusivity has become ingrained in people's hearts, organizers said.

Leaders from military and defense departments across the globe, heads of international organizations and think tanks, and renowned experts and scholars from home and abroad will engage in discussions and exchanges on hot topics in the security and defense sectors.

Parallel breakout session topics will include regional hot issues, emerging technologies, arms control and humanitarian issues, reflecting global concerns. Closed-door seminars have invited experts and scholars involved in hot issues and regional conflicts to participate in internal discussions, demonstrating China's commitment to an objective and impartial stance while advocating peace and dialogue. A series of distinctive activities will be held to foster defense exchanges and cooperation as well.

The Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which was originally called the Xiangshan Forum before 2018, was initiated by the China Association for Military Science in 2006 as a platform for Asia-Pacific security dialogue. It was upgraded in the fifth forum of 2014 and started to involve diverse defense and military leaders, heads in international organizations, former political personages and retired generals, as well as renowned scholars from both in and outside the Asia-Pacific region.

Since 2015, the Xiangshan Forum has been co-hosted by CAMS and China Institute of International Strategic Studies. So far, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum has developed into a high-level security and defense forum in the Asia-Pacific region with significant international influence. Adhering to the ideas of "Equality, Openness, Inclusiveness, Mutual Learning", the forum focuses on the new dynamics, opportunities and challenges in Asia-Pacific and across the world as a whole, calling for equal dialogue, beneficial cooperation and shared security. It is committed to pooling collective wisdom, expanding consensus, boosting cooperation, working to enhance security dialogue and defense contacts, and promoting regional peace and stability.

At a time when international security remains uncertain, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum has emerged as a platform for transparent dialogue. It promotes mutual understanding and fosters unified approaches, a sentiment echoed by global specialists.

Under the theme "Common Security, Lasting Peace", the forum's 10th session was held in October 2023 and attracted more than 1,800 people, including representatives from 99 countries, six international organizations and experts and scholars from around the globe. It was the highest number of high-ranking government officials and participants in the event's 17-year history.

Russia's Sputnik International news agency said the forum "amplifies the Global Security Initiative's commitment to a world bound together, as captured by its theme 'Common Security, Lasting Peace'. Adhering to the principles of 'equality, openness, inclusiveness and mutual learning', it strives to create a high-level exchange platform where countries, big or small, are treated equally and representatives can freely express their views."

From assessing the Ukraine conflict to crisis management between China and the United States and the risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence in warfare, the 10th session did not shy away from serious topics. It held a series of activities such as high-end dialogues and a seminar on The Art of War, and hosted open discussions that encompassed major security hot spots worldwide and significant security concerns.

Pakistan Today reported that "under the tensions of the current international security situation, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum provides all parties with a platform to talk in a frank manner that contributes to better communication, better understanding of each other's positions and better resolutions to questions. The forum has been a platform for developing countries to have their voices heard, as it encourages them, particularly small and medium-sized countries, to join the dialogues."

Tokyo-based news website jnocnews.co.jp said: "The more truth is debated, the clearer it becomes, and the more consensuses are reached, the more diverse opinions are expressed. This is precisely the original intention of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum. As an international security dialogue platform established and maintained by China, the forum has become a focus of global attention as international situations, especially military security and cooperation, have become increasingly prominent."

Quoted by the Sputnik news agency, Renato Rodrigues de Aguiar Freire, Brazil's chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, said: "Many countries come together at this huge forum, providing an opportunity to discuss various issues and exchange ideas. I would like to say that this path will help us reach consensus on global security, cooperation, mutual respect, and understanding, enabling us to go further and improve the world around us. Security is a rather subjective feeling, so we need to create this sense of security through our actions and words. This forum serves as a great example of various actions that contribute to a sense of security for the world."