Executive Summary
The Story So Far
Why This Matters
Who Thinks What?
China is hosting its annual Beijing Xiangshan Forum this week, a three-day security conference bringing together 1,800 representatives from 100 countries. Chinese officials are expected to leverage the event to advance President Xi Jinping’s vision for a new international order, emphasizing unity against perceived “hegemonism and power politics,” which analysts interpret as a veiled criticism of the United States. The forum also serves as a critical opportunity for foreign diplomats and security analysts to gain insights into China’s evolving military modernization and the opaque leadership of its armed forces amidst heightened regional tensions.
China’s Strategic Diplomacy
Foreign diplomats and security analysts anticipate that Chinese officials will utilize the forum to promote President Xi’s recently articulated vision for global governance. This vision, outlined earlier this month, advocates for international unity and implicitly challenges what Beijing perceives as unilateral global dominance.
Insights into China’s Military
For many foreign representatives, particularly those from Western nations and neighboring countries, the seminars and networking opportunities offer a rare chance. They aim to gather more specific details regarding China’s ongoing military modernization efforts and the internal dynamics of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the world’s largest standing army.
While China showcased a range of new weaponry, including hypersonic arms and large submersible drones, at a military parade on September 3, questions persist among analysts. These include concerns about the operational readiness and potential effectiveness of these systems in a conflict scenario.
The forum also provides a context for understanding changes within the PLA’s leadership. Over the past two years, more than a dozen generals, some reportedly close to President Xi, have been purged. Diplomats view the event as an opportunity to gain clarity on the precise command structure, especially within the powerful Central Military Commission, amid simmering East Asian disputes.
International Engagement
Most Western and allied militaries are sending relatively low-level delegations to the Beijing forum. These nations generally prefer to designate the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore as the region’s primary informal security conference.
The United States, for instance, will be represented by its defense attaché from the Beijing embassy. This approach reflects the ongoing geopolitical tensions and the strategic importance placed on understanding China’s defense posture while maintaining a cautious diplomatic stance.
Key Takeaways
The Beijing Xiangshan Forum underscores China’s ambition to shape global security narratives and project its growing military capabilities. While offering a platform for dialogue, the attendance levels from key Western powers reflect ongoing geopolitical tensions and the strategic importance they place on understanding China’s opaque defense posture.
