Overview

• In an opening address, Defence Minister Dong Jun warned against hegemonism and Cold War thinking, calling a stronger PLA a force for peace.
• Dong framed Taiwan’s return to China as part of the post‑World War II order and rejected external military interference, criticizing freedom‑of‑navigation claims and arbitration in the South China Sea.
• The Pentagon said Dong’s talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were candid and constructive, with both sides agreeing to further discussions.
• Russia’s delegation publicly endorsed Beijing’s security approach, with Deputy Defence Minister Anna Tsivileva backing China’s emphasis on equal and indivisible security.
• Singapore’s Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing met CMC vice chairman Zhang Youxia to reaffirm defence ties and told the forum that small states should take principled positions rather than pick sides.