Chinese and Russian defence officials on Friday (13 September) took swipes at the West at a military diplomacy forum in Beijing, with China pitching to the Global South and Russia saying the United States was shifting military conflicts to the Asia-Pacific.
In a wide-ranging speech to the annual Xiangshan Forum, China’s defence minister, Dong Jun, said China would enhance military ties with its neighbours and with developing countries in particular.
“Russia and China support the creation of a just, multipolar world order based on equality and mutual respect,” he said.
“It shows, I think, symbolically to China, to the United States and certainly to allies and partners globally that the United States is committed to listening, to participating, to joining in and not being afraid to talk,” Sbragia said.
Dong is responsible for China’s military diplomacy but is not part of the Central Military Commission, China’s core command body.

China, Russia chide West at annual security forum in Beijing