Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, who is currently attending the three-day defence forum in Beijing, accused the United States of deliberately fuelling geopolitical tensions to maintain its 'hegemony' and warned of the risk of confrontation between major countries.
Addressing the Xiangshan military forum on Monday, Shoigu accused the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region of undermining stability in the area and threatening Russia with the "eastward expansion" of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
"To maintain its geopolitical and strategic dominance, the United States is deliberately undermining the basis of international security and strategic stability... Western countries aim to escalate the conflict with Russia and increase the risk of major country confrontation. This will lead to serious consequences," he said at the forum.
Shoigu also hinted that Russia was open to negotiations on the ongoing conflict with Ukraine if "conditions are right". The war has been going on for 20 months, resulting in thousands of casualties.
Open to develop military ties with US: China
Meanwhile, China's vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) Zhang Youxia said that Beijing was "willing to develop military ties with the US on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation".
However, while Zhang did not directly name the US, he criticised "certain countries" for continuing to "stir troubles around the world". "They deliberately create turbulences, meddle in regional affairs, interfere in other countries' internal affairs and instigate colour revolutions," he said.
Such countries “provide fuel to the disputes by providing weapons and launching proxy wars” and “always unfairly support one side” in regional disputes, said the second-highest ranking Chinese military official.
Notably, China suspended military communication with the US in 2022 after former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. Beijing vows to seize it by force if necessary, but Washington, which has a security pact with Taiwan, opposes the use of force.
Zhang reiterated threats by the Chinese government regarding any efforts toward Taiwan's independence, saying that “no matter who tries to split Taiwan from China in any form, China and the Chinese military will never allow that to happen and will never be soft on them".
It is worth mentioning the relations between Washington and Beijing have become increasingly fraught lately over issues including trade, climate change, the South China Sea, Taiwan and the COVID-19 pandemic. The two nations have been locked in an escalating trade spat since early 2018, raising import tariffs on each other's goods.
Ukraine and Israel conflicts
Meanwhile, Zhang called for “a political settlement on the Ukraine crisis” and “an immediate ceasefire and stop of violence by parties in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and an early resumption of peace talks.
China maintains that it is neutral in the Ukraine war, but it favours Russia in practice, with frequent state visits and joint military drills between the two nations. It similarly wants to project a mediator role in the Israel-Hamas war, though experts say Beijing's influence in the conflict is limited.
The three-day Xiangshan Forum is China's biggest annual event centered on military diplomacy. Zhang opened the three-day event in the absence of Gen Li Shangfu, who was removed as China's defence minister last week after a two-month absence from public view.
Military representatives from dozens of countries are attending the event, which is an occasion for Beijing to underscore military cooperation with other nations and project regional leadership. The US is represented by a delegation led by Xanthi Carras, the Defence Department's principal official for issues related to China.
(with AP inputs)
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