During the Xiangshan conference, China ‘s prominent annual defense forum attended by military and diplomats from 90 countries, a senior Chinese military official and Russia’s defense minister accused certain nations of deliberately stirring up trouble in Asia and other regions. The event took place in Beijing, where General Zhang Yuxia, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, expressed concerns about the influence of specific countries, indirectly referencing the US. He highlighted the constant presence of war, chaos, and loss of human life in the world today, attributing it to certain countries creating problems, meddling in regional affairs, and inciting color revolutions to serve their selfish interests. Zhang criticized these countries for exacerbating geopolitical conflicts and favoring one side while claiming impartiality, leading to complex and unresolved regional situations. He stated that these countries distribute metaphorical knives in the hallways and readily initiate wars for their benefit.
Despite his criticism, Zhang emphasized China’s willingness to enhance military ties with the US, based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. On the other hand, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu accused the US of trying to cause instability in Asia following the acute crisis in Europe. Shoigu expressed concerns about the Western escalation of conflict with Russia, highlighting the potential devastating consequences of a direct military conflict between nuclear powers. He criticized the West for seeking Russia’s strategic defeat in a hybrid war and praised the model of Russian-Chinese relations as exemplary.
It’s worth noting that China has refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has positioned itself as a neutral party, providing Moscow with diplomatic and financial support. The US Department of Defense, represented by Cynthia Karas, head of the office for China, participated in the forum, although it remains uncertain whether the US delegation will have separate meetings with Chinese officials.
