Two decades of Beijing Xiangshan Forum: Building consensus on security

The Beijing Xiangshan Forum is set to mark its 20th anniversary this year as the 13th edition of the international security and defense forum brings together military leaders, international organization officials, and scholars to discuss a range of global and regional security challenges.

The 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum will be held from September 15 to 17 at the Beijing International Convention Center under the theme "Build Consensus on Stability, Advance Security Governance Together."

The forum will feature four plenary sessions and eight parallel sessions, covering topics including the international order and strategic stability, regional conflicts, Asia-Pacific security, arms control, maritime security, emerging military technologies and outer space security governance.

The agenda reflects the breadth of the current international security dialogue.

The Ukraine crisis continues to affect European and wider international security, while the Middle East remains marked by persistent instability. In the Asia-Pacific, strategic competition and emerging security challenges have increased attention to regional stability.

The forum's sessions on conflict settlement and strategic stability are expected to examine how dialogue, consultation and other mechanisms can help reduce risks and prevent miscalculation.

The fourth plenary session will be devoted to "The Role and Vision of Developing Countries," while panelists from developing countries are expected to participate across other sessions.

For many developing countries, security concerns extend beyond traditional military issues. Economic development, food security, and emerging technological risks can have direct implications for stability.

The Beijing Xiangshan Forum was established in 2006 as a Track II dialogue focused initially on security issues in the Asia-Pacific. Its format changed in 2014, when the forum was upgraded into a Track 1.5 platform. The forum has evolved into an important venue for international security and defense dialogue, bringing together participants with different political systems and strategic interests.

"Standing at this important historical juncture of its 20th anniversary, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum will adopt a more mature approach and a more open mind to play a positive role in promoting regional security and stability and safeguarding world peace and development," said Senior Colonel Li Fei, Director of the Office of the China Association for Military Science (CAMS).

The development of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum over the past 20 years has followed the expansion of the international security agenda. On September 15, a "20 on 20" roundtable will bring together leading experts to discuss the development of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum from 2006 to 2026.

As the forum enters its third decade, its 20-year evolution provides a foundation for further international security cooperation.

(Wang Lei also contributed to this story.)