China Urges Nations to Curb Regressive Historical Trends at Xiangshan Forum
Key Highlights from the Xiangshan Forum and Regional Security Concerns
(Corrects spelling of Japanese leader's name in paragraph 9)
By Mei Mei Chu
Chinese Defence Minister's Call for Restraint
BEIJING, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun urged nations on Wednesday to avoid provocative acts and curb the resurgence of regressive historical trends in remarks likely to be taken as veiled criticism of Japan.
Dong's comments at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum on security come at a time of roiling regional tension over China-claimed Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea waterway, as doubt grows over traditional U.S. security commitments to Asia.
Warning of a Fragile Global Moment
Warning that the world had arrived at a "fragile moment", Dong called for a fresher, more equal approach to resolving international tension, but offered few specifics or direct criticism of rivals.
Lessons from History and Suppressing Hegemony
"We must bear in mind the lessons of history and remain highly vigilant against all latent manifestations of hegemony, militarism and historical revisionism," he said in an opening speech.
"We must not turn a blind eye or condone such behaviour. By rallying broad-based forces of justice, we must suppress the resurgence of historical dregs and prevent them from exploiting the situation to cause harm."
Reactions to Regional Powers and the United States
No Direct Criticism of United States or Regional Allies
NO DIRECT CRITICISM OF UNITED STATES OR REGIONAL ALLIES
As some analysts predicted, Dong steered clear of direct criticisms of the United States or its regional allies, such as Japan, and appeared to hew closely to long-held Chinese positions.
Condemnation of Provocative Acts
"We must show no leniency towards provocative acts that seek to hijack the overall interests of countries in the region for the sake of personal gain or the interests of particular cliques, and we must work together to rein them in," he added.
Context: China, Japan, and Taiwan
Upcoming Diplomatic Engagements
The comments come a week before Chinese President Xi Jin ping is expected to visit the United States for a summit with President Donald Trump.
Recent Tensions with Japan
Ties between China and Japan plummeted last year after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response.
That spurred Beijing to repeatedly warn that Japan was seeking a return to its aggressive past.
China's Stance on Taiwan
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has ramped up military pressure around the island, including periodically staging war games. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's claims of sovereignty.
The Xiangshan Forum and China's Military Diplomacy
Forum Participation and Objectives
Some 2,000 military officers, diplomats and academics from dozens of countries are attending the three-day event set to run until Thursday.
Comparison with Shangri-La Dialogue
A tightly scripted rival to the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, which is widely seen as a more freewheeling affair, the forum comes at a time of China's expansion of military diplomacy.
Growth in Bilateral Military Exercises
This often takes the form of bilateral exercises that military attaches say are slowly growing in complexity.
(Reporting by Mei Mei Chu in Beijing; Writing by Greg Torode in Hong Kong; Editing by Tom Hogue and Clarence Fernandez)