Beijing Xiangshan Forum broadens global reach over its two decades

The Beijing Xiangshan Forum has evolved over the past two decades from a small academic gathering focused on Asia-Pacific security into an important platform for international security and defense dialogue, according to an interview posted on the forum's official X account (@XiangshanForum).

Sr. Col. Li Shuyin, Director of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum Secretariat Office, recalled that the forum began in 2006, when dozens of representatives gathered in Beijing for a roundtable on security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

In 2014, the forum was upgraded from a Track 2 platform mainly for exchanges among experts and scholars to a Track 1.5 high-level security and defense dialogue platform bringing together government representatives, experts and scholars. In 2018, it was officially renamed the Beijing Xiangshan Forum.

Over the years, its agenda has also expanded from Asia-Pacific security to broader global issues, including the international order, multipolarity and multilateralism. New forms of dialogue have also been introduced, including exchanges among young military officers and scholars.

Director Li said this year's theme — "Build Consensus on Stability, Advance Security Governance Together" — is highly relevant to current realities.

Amid a volatile and unstable international landscape marked by intertwined changes and turmoil, stability has become a widely shared aspiration of the international community. As we build consensus on stability, we must further strengthen security governance and turn that consensus into action, she said.

Looking ahead, Director Li expressed hope that the forum would continue to build consensus, enhance mutual trust and bridge differences, adding more stability and certainty to a turbulent and unstable world.