BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Defense leaders, senior scholars and heads of international and regional organizations will meet in Beijing next week for the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, where they are expected to hold discussions on stability and security, a Chinese military official said on Tuesday.
This year's forum, themed "Build Consensus on Stability, Advance Security Governance Together," will feature four plenary sessions and eight parallel sessions, said Senior Colonel Li Fei of the China Association for Military Science at a media briefing.
During the plenary sessions, forum participants will discuss international order and strategic stability, predicaments of localized conflicts and pathways to their resolution, risks and challenges to security and stability in the Asia-Pacific, and the role and vision of developing countries.
Parallel sessions will focus on more specific strategic issues, such as the trend toward multipolarity, major-country relations, the Asian way to address security challenges, sea lane security and maritime security governance.
Spanning traditional and non-traditional security, global governance, regional flashpoints, military technology and international law, the forum's agenda aims to address pressing real-world concerns, Li added.
In a move to encourage candid dialogue, the forum will also host closed-door seminars on sensitive topics, including the Ukraine crisis and issues in the Middle East.
Li emphasized that these private sessions will provide a relaxed environment for representatives with different viewpoints to engage in frank and in-depth exchanges.
The 4th China-Africa Peace and Security Forum will also be convened in conjunction with the Xiangshan Forum.
This year's forum marks the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which was launched in 2006 as a "track-two" think-tank exchange.
Over the past two decades, it has expanded to include government officials, military leaders and scholars from more than 100 countries. The forum has evolved into a vital international public good, offering a space for equal dialogue and joint efforts toward global peace.
To commemorate this milestone, organizers have scheduled a special roundtable dialogue for leading experts to reflect on the forum's evolution and future development. ■
