Russia’s defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, accused the United States on Monday of deliberately fueling geopolitical tensions in order to maintain its “global dominance by any means necessary.” Speaking at a defense forum in Beijing, Shoigu also criticized NATO for attempting to expand its influence in the Asia-Pacific region under the guise of dialogue and collaboration with regional countries.
Shoigu claimed that Washington has been intentionally undermining and destroying the foundations of international security and strategic stability, including arms control agreements. He argued that the U.S. and its Western allies are threatening Russia through NATO’s eastward expansion. Shoigu also reiterated Russia’s willingness to negotiate the war in Ukraine under the right conditions.
According to Shoigu, the Western approach of escalating the conflict with Russia carries the risk of a direct military clash between nuclear powers, which could have catastrophic consequences.
Shoigu’s remarks followed a speech by Zhang Youxia, China’s second-ranking military official and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, who opened the three-day event. The former defense minister, Gen. Li Shangfu, who would have normally hosted the event, was removed from his position last week without any explanation from the government.
The defense forum in Beijing is an opportunity for China to showcase its regional leadership and enhance military cooperation. The U.S. delegation, led by Xanthi Carras, the Defense Department’s leading official on China, is also in attendance.
Zhang expressed China’s willingness to develop military ties with the U.S. based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. China had suspended military communication with the U.S. in August 2022 as a show of disapproval for former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, which Beijing considers a part of its territory.
Although Zhang did not directly name the U.S., he criticized “certain countries” that continuously create disturbances around the world. He called for an immediate cease-fire in the recent Israel-Hamas conflict and emphasized the need for a resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
While China claims to be neutral in Russia’s war on Ukraine, it maintains close ties with Russia through frequent state visits and joint military exercises. China has also attempted to play a mediator role in the Israel-Hamas conflict, despite limited influence, according to experts.
Zhang reiterated China’s government stance on Taiwan, stating that China and its military will never allow any attempts to split Taiwan from China, regardless of who makes such efforts.
It is worth noting that Associated Press writer Jim Heintz in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.
