China and Russia Criticize the West at Security Forum in Beijing, According to Reuters

By Laurie Chen

BEIJING – At a military diplomacy forum held in Beijing, Chinese and Russian defense officials took aim at Western policies, with China focusing on cultivating relationships with developing nations and Russia accusing the United States of shifting military attention to the Asia-Pacific region.

During the annual Xiangshan Forum, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun emphasized the need to bolster military cooperation with neighboring countries, particularly those in the Global South. He urged major nations to lead in maintaining global security, critiqueing a zero-sum mindset and the tendency to "bully the small and the weak," a clear reference to U.S. policies.

Despite ongoing tensions surrounding the South China Sea and Taiwan, communications between U.S. and Chinese military officials have improved. This comes against the backdrop of Germany’s defense minister confirming that German warships recently traversed the Taiwan Strait, marking a significant event condemned by China.

Addressing representatives from around 90 countries and international organizations at the three-day forum, which concludes on Saturday, Dong advocated for regional unity and self-reliance in ensuring peace.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin echoed similar sentiments, asserting that the U.S. was attempting to contain both China and Russia while preparing for conflict in Asia through the establishment of new security alliances. He remarked, “Russia and China support the creation of a just, multipolar world order based on equality and mutual respect.” Fomin also highlighted the dangers of NATO countries sending troops to Ukraine, warning that this could escalate into a conflict involving nuclear powers.

In contrast, NATO has stated it has no intentions of deploying troops in Ukraine, while Ukraine insists on a complete Russian withdrawal and the restoration of its territorial integrity established post-Soviet Union.

Beijing seeks to position itself as a proactive player in global matters, despite facing challenges in its own region. The theme of this year’s forum is “Promoting Peace for a Shared Future.”

As the conference continues, observers are looking for advancements in military relations between the U.S. and China. Michael Chase, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense focused on China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, is leading a delegation for discussions with Chinese military counterparts following the forum, building on recent defense coordination talks.

With rising tensions involving skirmishes in the South China Sea, particularly between China and the Philippines, a Chinese military official expressed confidence in Beijing’s ability to prevent U.S. involvement in any potential conflict. “If a clash occurs between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, this will never trigger conflict between China and the U.S.,” stated Lieutenant General He Lei, a former vice president of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences.

Recently, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Zhang Youxia, the vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, and U.S. and Chinese theater-level commanders held their first conference call this week.

Chad Sbragia, a former senior Pentagon official for China, remarked that the previous framework of China-U.S. relations, developed over 35 years, is now in a fragile state. He stressed the importance of prioritizing policy dialogues to reshape defense relations for the future.

(Reporting by Laurie Chen in Beijing; additional reporting by teams in Beijing and Moscow; writing by Greg Torode; editing by Jacqueline Wong, Gerry Doyle, and Timothy Heritage)