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Peace ‘only way out’ of wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Chinese defence chief says – as it happened

Dong Jun tells the Xiangshan Forum, China’s leading global security event, that countries must put their destiny ‘in their own hands’

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun addressed the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing. Photo: Reuters

South China Morning Post

Published: 8:57am, 13 Sep 2024Updated: 3:41pm, 13 Sep 2024

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Introduction

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Defence Minister Dong Jun is speaking at the opening ceremony of the Xiangshan Forum, China’s leading security conference.

This is the first time in five years that the Chinese defence minister has attended in person following the Covid-19 pandemic and the abrupt sacking just before last year’s event of Dong’ predecessor, Li Shangfu, as part of a wider military corruption purge.

Up to 20 defence ministers and 700 delegates from around 100 countries are attending the forum, which is seen as China’s equivalent of the Shangri-La forum in Singapore. These include defence chiefs from three of China’s Southeast Asian neighbours – Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore – along with Michael Chase, a US deputy assistant secretary of defence.

More from our coverage of the Xiangshan Forum

- Taiwan the biggest issue in US-mainland China ties, experts at defence forum say

- Chinese security forum about ‘clarifying positions’ – not solutions, experts say

Reporting by Seong Hyeon Choi, Amber Wang and Hayley Wong