China: Defense Minister calls for 'negotiation' to end Ukraine, Gaza conflicts

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun has called for “negotiation” as the only path to resolve the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, in a speech at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Friday. Speaking before a global gathering of military officials, Dong emphasized the futility of war, urging for dialogue and reconciliation.

“To resolve hotspot issues such as the crisis in Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, promoting peace and negotiation is the only way out,” Dong said, underscoring that “there is no winner in war and conflict, and confrontation leads nowhere.” He added, “The more acute the conflict, the more we cannot give up dialogue and consultation. The end of any conflict is reconciliation.”

The Xiangshan Forum, often viewed as China’s answer to Singapore’s annual Shangri-La Dialogue, has drawn over 500 representatives from more than 90 countries, including military officials from Russia, Pakistan, Singapore, and Germany. The forum focuses on key global security issues such as US-China relations, European and Asian security, and defense challenges in a multipolar world.

In his speech, Dong also warned against “the proliferation of national security concepts,” suggesting that new technologies should be developed to benefit humanity as a whole—a veiled critique of US efforts to restrict Beijing’s access to advanced technology.

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“At a time of high global security risks and increased instability, the responsibility for building the defense and security capacity of all countries is enormous,” Dong remarked. He reiterated China’s willingness to collaborate with other nations, emphasizing the need for “strengthening strategic alignment” and exploring bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Chase is attending the forum, coming on the heels of renewed military talks between Washington and Beijing. The two countries remain at odds on various issues, including trade, Taiwan, and China’s assertive stance in disputed maritime regions like the South China Sea.

Tensions in the South China Sea were also addressed during the forum. On Thursday, senior Chinese military official Lt. Gen. He Lei stated that China would “crush” any foreign incursion into its sovereign territories, including in the South China Sea, where Chinese vessels have recently clashed with Philippine ships.

The Xiangshan Forum serves as a platform for discussions on the future of global security, as China positions itself as a key player in mediating international conflicts through diplomatic means rather than military confrontation.