China’s defense minister warned that the world was increasingly subject to the “law of the jungle” in opening remarks at a top Beijing security conference, urging the world to step up its efforts for unity.
Dong Jun described a divided world riven by Cold War thinking, protectionism, and hegemonic tactics that threatened to “bring the international community into chaos.”
The Xiangshan Forum comes as China makes a geostrategic push to increase its influence and present itself as a pillar of stability, implicitly critiquing US President Donald Trump’s uneven diplomatic style. Ahead of this year’s conference — attended by 1,800 representatives from 100 countries, according to state media — China hosted a major summit of world leaders and held a mammoth military parade.
Beijing has also deepened defense partnerships in its neighborhood, notably making inroads in military sales to Indonesia and Malaysia, a recent Lowy Institute report found.