At Beijing\u2019s Xiangshan Forum, Dong Jun says world is at a crossroads between peace or war, urges countries to make the \u2018right choice\u2019.<\/b>
\nChina\u2019s defence minister summoned familiar talking points as he took aim at Western nations during a security conference on Thursday, without naming any particular country, urging nations to stand up against \u201cbullying\u201d and describing military alliances as groups with \u201cselfish interests\u201d.
The calls by Dong Jun appeared to resonate with defence chiefs from Southeast Asia, as they took turns criticising unilateral actions, including US tariffs, and calling for greater efforts to advance multilateralism.
Dong kicked off his nearly 30-minute address at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing by warning about the uncertain state of the international environment, cautioning that the world was undergoing rapid changes and \u201covershadowed by Cold War mentality, hegemonism and protectionism\u201d.
He urged countries to cooperate to defend the post-war order and to stand up against \u201cdisguised hegemonic logic and bullying acts\u201d, in a veiled reference to the US.
\u201cToday, the world is standing at another crossroads: peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum. We must make the just and right choice,\u201d he said, echoing remarks made by President Xi Jinping at the country\u2019s Victory Day military parade earlier this month.
In a swipe at Western-led groups, Dong framed military alliances and political blocs as \u201csmall, exclusive groups that serve hegemonic and selfish interests\u201d, adding that such groups \u201ccarve up interests together\u201d.<\/p>\n