China defense chief urges global security consensus, AI and space cooperation at Xiangshan Forum

At the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun called for international consensus on global security and cooperation in AI and outer space, notably omitting Taiwan and the South China Sea disputes. The omission signals a deliberate softening of rhetoric to court broader participation, though concrete proposals remain vague. This matters as China seeks to position itself as a security architect amid US-led alliances.