Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun delivers softer-toned address at Beijing defence gathering
Quick Look
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun delivered a speech at a defence gathering in Beijing with a notably softer tone toward the US, according to retired PLA colonel Zhou Bo, who noted veiled references to US actions in the Middle East and calls for major countries to uphold responsibilities and oppose exclusive blocs.
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Why It Matters
The speech was delivered at a defence gathering in Beijing, where Dong Jun addressed international security issues with references to US actions in the Middle East and calls for collective responsibility.
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun’s address to a defence gathering in Beijing on Wednesday carried a message for Washington but it was delivered in a notably softer, less critical tone, according to a retired senior colonel in the People’s Liberation Army.
Zhou Bo, now a senior fellow at the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, said Dong’s tone was “relatively mild”, even as the Chinese defence minister made veiled references to the US and its actions in the Middle East.
He also called for major countries to shoulder their responsibility and said the international community should oppose actions that involve forming exclusive blocs, adding that “the causes of disputes cannot be resolved by force”.
Open Questions
- What specific actions by the US in the Middle East were referenced?
- How did other attendees at the defence gathering respond to Dong Jun's remarks?
- What constitutes 'exclusive blocs' in the context of the minister's statement?
