China Opens Xiangshan Defence Forum as Tensions Rise Across the Asia-Pacific

VoS NEWS DESK | INTERNATIONAL | 14 September 2026

The Xiangshan Forum has become one of China's most important international defence gatherings and is widely viewed as Beijing's counterpart to the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. This year's meeting comes at a particularly sensitive moment, with China seeking to strengthen its diplomatic and security influence while relations with the United States and several Asian neighbours remain under pressure.

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun is expected to use the forum to promote greater international cooperation and China's vision of a more multipolar international system. At the same time, Beijing is expected to criticise what it sees as excessive US influence in Asian security affairs, although analysts anticipate relatively measured rhetoric given the wider diplomatic context between Beijing and Washington.

The Taiwan Strait remains one of the most sensitive issues. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of China and has repeatedly opposed foreign military involvement around the island. Washington, meanwhile, maintains extensive security relationships across the region and continues to stress the importance of stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The South China Sea is another major source of tension. China has extensive territorial claims in the strategically important waterway, while countries including the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia also maintain competing claims or maritime interests. The sea is crucial to global commerce and contains some of the world's busiest shipping routes.

The forum is attracting participation from a wide range of countries. Vietnam and Malaysia are sending senior representatives, while the United States is represented by a Pentagon delegation led by Cynthia Carras. The presence of officials from competing strategic camps provides Beijing with an opportunity to present itself as an important platform for international security dialogue.

China's hosting of the event also reflects its broader effort to expand its diplomatic influence across the Global South and the developing world. Beijing has increasingly promoted multipolarity, greater representation for developing countries and alternatives to US-led international institutions.

The security forum comes shortly after China's participation in the BRICS summit in New Delhi, where Chinese President Xi Jinping called for stronger cooperation among Global South countries, support for multilateralism and greater international coordination on security and emerging technologies.

Although the Xiangshan Forum is formally focused on defence and security dialogue, its wider significance lies in the evolving strategic competition between China and the United States.

Washington has strengthened its partnerships with countries such as Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines, while China has expanded military capabilities and diplomatic engagement across the Indo-Pacific.

For regional governments, the challenge is increasingly about maintaining economic ties with China while also managing security relationships with the United States and other Western powers.

The situation is particularly delicate for Southeast Asian countries, many of which have strong economic links with Beijing but are simultaneously concerned about maritime disputes and freedom of navigation.

VoS STRATEGIC INSIGHT

The Xiangshan Forum gives China an important diplomatic platform at a time when competition between major powers is reshaping the Asia-Pacific security order. Beijing's emphasis on multipolarity and international cooperation is designed not only to promote dialogue but also to strengthen China's role in determining the region's future security architecture.

The key question is whether such forums can produce meaningful confidence-building measures between countries with increasingly different strategic interests. If tensions over Taiwan, the South China Sea and military alliances continue to rise, regular defence dialogue could become increasingly important in preventing misunderstandings from developing into direct confrontation.

For Britain and Europe, developments in the Indo-Pacific also matter economically and strategically. Any serious crisis involving Taiwan or major South China Sea shipping routes could disrupt global supply chains, semiconductor production and international trade far beyond East Asia.

Source: Reuters • China Mission to the United Nations in Geneva