BEIJING: The United States Department of Defense is sending a delegation to attend the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which starts on Sunday. More than 20 defense ministers from around the world will participate in the high-level security conference.
Organizers said the three-day security forum aims to help countries enhance mutual trust and strengthen the voice of developing nations.
According to the forum’s organizing committee, Cynthia Xanthi Carras, country director for China in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, has registered on the official website of the forum, and will attend the forum as head of the US delegation. In addition, Chad Sbragia, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for China in the Office of the US Secretary of Defense, will also attend the forum as an expert. The former US official had attended the forum’s last gathering in 2019 and is the highest-level official sent by the US side to participate in the security conference so far.
Zhao Yufei, deputy secretary-general of the organizing committee, said that as of Monday, more than 90 delegations from countries and international organizations had confirmed their participation, including from Russia, the US, Iran, Singapore, Nigeria, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Among them are 22 senior officials of defense minister level and above and 14 representatives of the military chief-of-staff level, he said. In addition, high-ranking officials and representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the League of Arab States, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union will also participate in the conference, said Zhao. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
