摘要：At a time of heightened uncertainty in global politics, the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum offers a timely platform for nations to e

By Jessica Durdu

At a time of heightened uncertainty in global politics, the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum offers a timely platform for nations to exchange views on defense and security cooperation. With its theme "Upholding international order and promoting peaceful development," the forum reflects a pressing need to rethink security approaches that transcend confrontational paradigms and embrace inclusive dialogue.

Since its inception in 2006, the forum has mirrored the transformation of the global security landscape. Whereas the Cold War era was dominated by alliances and deterrence doctrines, the post-Cold War decades introduced both traditional challenges, such as territorial disputes and great-power rivalries and new, non-traditional threats, including pandemics, cyber attacks and climate-related crises. The 2022 U.S. National Security Strategy continues to emphasize alliances and competition, while multilateral platforms like the Beijing Xiangshan Forum highlight cooperative approaches that prioritize inclusivity and shared responsibility.

Recent history underscores the urgency of such dialogue. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused global ripple effects. According to the UN, the war has disrupted 30 percent of global wheat exports, heavily impacting countries in Africa and the Middle East. Energy prices surged by more than 50 percent in 2022, contributing to record inflation in Europe. In the Middle East, the Gaza humanitarian crisis since October 2023 has displaced millions of people, while UN reports estimate that nearly half of Gaza's population now faces acute food insecurity.

Beyond conflict zones, attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea have disrupted nearly 12 percent of global trade flows, leading to a 300 percent increase in insurance premiums for vessels transiting the Suez Canal. Platforms like the Beijing Xiangshan Forum provide an alternative pathway to confrontation by promoting communication channels that can de-escalate such global crises.

The forum's agenda is also notable for its attention to non-traditional security. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that even the most advanced military capabilities cannot shield societies from shared vulnerabilities. Global cooperation mechanisms since 2022, such as the COVAX vaccine-sharing program, have distributed over 2 billion doses to 146 countries, helping to reduce inequality in pandemic response.

Climate change has emerged as another pressing issue. Pakistan's catastrophic floods in 2022 submerged one-third of the country and affected 33 million people, while Europe recorded its hottest summer on record in 2023, leading to over 50,000 heat-related deaths. Canada's wildfires in 2023 destroyed more than 18 million hectares of land, creating transcontinental pollution that even affected U.S. cities. These examples underline why non-traditional threats must be addressed collectively in international security agendas.

Rescuers transfer a flood affected child from a flood-hit area on the outskirts of Multan, Pakistan, September 2, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

In parallel, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum contributes to a transformation in the very understanding of security. Traditional frameworks defined security primarily as the protection of state sovereignty through military power. In contrast, contemporary scholarship and practice emphasize comprehensive security or human security, which recognizes the interdependence of military, economic, health and environmental stability.

As UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also noted in his speech, security today is not only about weapons and armies; it is about reducing inequality, protecting the climate and building resilience. The Beijing Xiangshan Forum operationalizes this broader vision, moving international dialogue away from zero-sum survival strategies toward a holistic and cooperative approach to global security.

Equally important is the forum's ability to amplify the voice of the Global South. Many developing nations have emphasized that underdevelopment fuels insecurity. The African Union's admission into the Group of Twenty in September 2023 reflected the growing recognition that Africa's stability and development are central to global governance. The BRICS expansion in 2023, welcoming countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Argentina, also signaled a stronger voice for the Global South in shaping international agendas. The forum complements these economic and political advances by providing a stage for inclusive security dialogue.

Compared with traditional security forums, Xiangshan stands out in both tone and inclusivity. The Munich Security Conference in 2023, for example, was dominated by Western alliances discussing deterrence measures and increased defense budgets. By contrast, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum emphasizes dialogue beyond alliance frameworks, engaging voices from Asia, Africa and Latin America that are often marginalized in Western-led security platforms.

Where NATO debates its focus on deterrence against specific adversaries, the forum fosters a narrative of common security, drawing attention to shared risks such as climate disasters, humanitarian crises and global trade disruptions.

Ultimately, upholding the international order in today's multipolar world requires more than adherence to rules; it demands an ethos of cooperation. The Beijing Xiangshan Forum, by convening voices across regions and emphasizing both traditional and non-traditional security, embodies this ethos. It offers a reminder that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of dialogue, understanding, and shared development.

Jessica Durdu, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a foreign affairs specialist and PhD candidate in international relations at China Foreign Affairs University.

来源：中国网一点号