UPDATES WITH COMMENTS BY GEN. ZHANG YOUXIA; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK
By Riyaz ul Khaliq
ISTANBUL (AA) – A major international security forum began in China’s capital Beijing on Monday amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Participants from more than 90 countries, including the US and Russia, are attending the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, according to the Chinese Defense Ministry.
Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, delivered a keynote speech at the opening of the three-day event. Side events were held on Sunday as well which included a symposium on Sun Tzu's book, The Art of War.
The forum is being held under the theme of Common Security, Lasting Peace, which is dubbed as the “core” concept of China’s Global Security Initiative.
“No matter who wishes to separate Taiwan from China in any way, the Chinese military will never agree to it,” General Zhang told the forum, according to daily South China Morning Post.
Reiterating Taiwan was China’s “core of the core interests,” Zhang, without naming any nation, blamed a “certain country” for interfering in the Asia-Pacific region and in the internal affairs of other nations.
“Wherever its hands extend to, that is where peace and quiet is not possible,” Zhang said, slamming the unnamed nation for triggering geopolitical discords and instigating “color revolutions.”
However, he hinted Beijing would resume high-level military communication with Pentagon.
“We will deepen strategic cooperation and coordination with Russia, and we are willing to develop military relations with the US based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation,” Zhang reportedly said.
The Beijing Xiangshan Forum is held at a time when China has no defense minister after Shangfu Li was removed last week.
Zhang, second only to President Xi Jinping in the military command, is holding military diplomacy at the forum along with second vice-chair of the Central Military Commission, Gen. He Weidong.
Beijing had snapped high-level military dialogue with Pentagon following an unannounced trip to Taiwan last year in August by the then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.