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South China Sea
ChinaDiplomacy
Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy

Opinion | China uses Xiangshan Forum to raise its profile on regional defence issues

  • More than 600 people, including 76 official delegations, 23 defence ministers and six chiefs of staff attend event in Beijing
  • Chinese leaders keen to promote their vision of regional order amid rising concerns over Quad alliance

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More than 600 people, including 23 defence ministers and six chiefs of staff, attended this year’s Xiangshan Forum in Beijing. Photo: Reuters
Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy

Is Beijing becoming anxious about the strategic alliance between the United States, Japan, Australia and India, known as Quad? The short answer is yes.

At the recently concluded Beijing Xiangshan Forum there was some unease within China’s strategic community. Many Chinese experts regard the Indo-Pacific concept on which the alliance is based as an attempt to contain China, and are apprehensive about it.

The ninth Xingshan Forum was hosted by the China Association for Military Science and the China Institute for International Strategic Studies, and ran from October 20-22 at the Beijing International Convention Centre.

The Beijing Xiangshan Forum ran from October 20-22. Photo: Reuters
The Beijing Xiangshan Forum ran from October 20-22. Photo: Reuters

Since its launch in 2006, the forum has become an important platform for dialogue and cooperation on defence and security issues, on both the regional and global level. It is attended by dozens of official delegations and hundreds of security and defence officials and experts.

This year’s event welcomed more than 600 people, including 76 official delegations, 23 defence ministers, six chiefs of staff, and representatives of international and regional organisations.

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