By Eniola Amadu
China’s Defence Minister, Dong Jun, has warned that the world risks falling into disorder if global governance is shaped by military dominance and zero-sum politics.
He made the remarks while formally opening the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, a major annual security conference attended by around 1,800 delegates from 100 countries.
Dong said the world was at a “crossroads” marked by Cold War thinking, protectionism and hegemony, stressing that dialogue and cooperation should prevail over confrontation.
He cautioned against external military interference and coercive alliances, saying such actions would “bring the international community into chaos.”
His comments were seen as veiled criticism of the United States and its allies amid growing tension over Taiwan, the South China Sea, and broader U.S.-China economic rivalry under President Donald Trump.
“The obsession with absolute superiority in military strength and a ‘might is right’ approach will lead to a divided world defined by the rule of the jungle,” Dong said, while insisting that a strong Chinese military would serve as a force for peace.
The minister also reaffirmed Beijing’s position on Taiwan, describing its “return to China” as an integral part of the post-war international order.
He pledged that the People’s Liberation Army would block any separatist attempts or foreign military interference.
China claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to seize it.
However, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te maintains that the island’s future must be decided by its people, rejecting Beijing’s sovereignty claim.
Dong’s remarks came shortly after a large military parade in Beijing showcasing new weapons and recent statements by President Xi Jinping denouncing “hegemonism and power politics.”
Singapore’s Defence Minister, Chan Chun Sing, also addressed the forum, warning that the erosion of shared values could trigger cycles of political extremism and conflict reminiscent of conditions that led to the Second World War.
The forum took place amid a flurry of diplomatic engagements between Washington and Beijing.
Dong recently spoke with U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in their first direct exchange, while Xi and Trump are expected to hold a telephone discussion on Friday.
In a separate development, American and Chinese officials reached an agreement in Madrid this week for U.S.-controlled ownership of the social media app TikTok, signalling progress in efforts to ease trade tensions.
