PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, Wednesday 12 October 2016 – The 7th Xiangshan Forum concluded today after convening for three days in the Haidian District of Xiangshan near Beijing, People’s Republic of China. This year’s forum bore the theme “Build A New Type Of International Relations Through Security Dialogue And Cooperation” and saw some 65 countries and global organisations from all over the world.
The Deputy Minister of Defence of Brunei Darussalam, First Admiral (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Abdul Aziz was also attending and was accompanied by the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Defence Policy and Development) of the Ministry of Defence of Brunei Darussalam.
The forum was preceded by a welcoming dinner co-hosted by Admiral Sun Jianguo, the Chairman of China Institute for International Strategic Studies (CIISS) and the co-chair of the forum, General Cai Ying Ting, the Chairman of Chinese Association for Military Science (CAMS). The dinner attendees also heard a keynote address delivered by the Chief of Defence Force of Malaysia, Gen Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Zulkifeli bin Mohammed Zin.
The forum proper opened on 11 October 2016 with a keynote address delivered by General Chang Wanquan, State Councilor and the Minister of National Defence of the People’s Republic of China who underlined the importance of mutual trust, understanding and cooperation in today’s increasingly complex global security environment.
The forum this year featured several prominent speakers including The Minister of Defence from the Kingdom of Cambodia, General Tea Banh, the Minister of Defence of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Lieutenant General Chansamone Chanyalath and the Senior Minister of State for Defence of the Republic of Singapore, His Excellency Ong Ye Kung.
On the sidelines of the forum, the Deputy Minister of Defence also had a bilateral meeting with the Senior Minister of State for Defence, Republic of Singapore and a courtesy call on His Excellency General Xu Qiliang, the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, People’s Republic of China.
In the meeting with the Singapore Senior Minister of State for Defence, the Deputy Minister of Defence and the former highlighted the excellent state of bilateral defence relations between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Singapore. Both sides also expressed a mutual desire to advance further the defence ties between the two countries.
During the courtesy call to the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, People’s Republic of China, both sides expressed satisfaction on the positive trajectory of the bilateral defence relations between Brunei Darussalam and the People’s Republic of China. They also discussed on regional security issues of mutual concern.
The Xiangshan Forum is an annual event, established in 2006. Organised by the Chinese Association for Military Science (CAMS) and China Institute for International Strategic Studies (CIISS), it serves as a platform for discussions among defence scholars and experts in the Asia-Pacific region to discuss pertinent defence and security issues, bringing together Defence Ministers, Chiefs of Defence Forces and other senior defence and military officials.
TIMBALAN MENTERI PERTAHANAN HADIRI FORUM XIANGSHAN
REPUBLIK RAKYAT CHINA, Rabu 12 Oktober 2016 – Forum Xiangshan kali ke-7 yang berlangsung selama 3 hari telah dianjurkan di Daerah Haidian, Xiangshan, Kota Beijing, Republik Rakyat China. Forum pada tahun ini membawa tema “Enhance Security Dialogue and Cooperation, Build a new Model of International Relations” dan telah dihadiri oleh 65 negara dan pertubuhan dunia.
Laksmana Pertama (B) Dato Seri Pahlawan Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Tamit, Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan Negara Brunei Darussalam juga menyertai forum tersebut. Turut hadir bersama beliau ialah Timbalan Setiausaha Tetap (Dasar Pertahanan dan Pembangunan), Kementerian Pertahanan.
Forum tersebut dimulakan dengan Majlis Makan Malam yang dihoskan bersama oleh Laksmana Sun Jianguo, Pengerusi bagi China Insitute for International Studies (CIISS) dan Jeneral Cai YingTing, Pengerusi bagi China Association for Military Science (CAMS). Semasa majlis penghormatan telah diberikan kepada Panglima Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, Jeneral Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Zulkifeli bin Mohammed Zin untuk menyampaikan ucaptama. Forum itu secara rasmi telah dibuka pada 11 Oktober 2016 dengan ucapan pelancaran yang disampaikan oleh Jeneral Chang Wanquan, Ahli Dewan Negara dan Menteri Pertahanan Nasional Republik Rakyat China. Beliau telah menekankan kepentingan saling mempercayai, rasa saling memahami dan usaha kerjasama dalam menghadapi keadaan sekuriti dunia yang semakin mencabar.
Forum pada tahun ini telah mengetengahkan beberapa personaliti pertahanan yang ternama seperti Menteri Pertahanan Kerajaan Kemboja, Jeneral Tea Banh, Menteri Pertahanan Republik Demokratik Rakyat Lao Leftenan Jeneral Chansamone Chanyalath dan Menteri Negara Kanan bagi Pertahanan Republik Singapura, Tuan Yang Terutama Ong Ye Kung.
Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan juga membuat perjumpaan dua hala dengan Menteri Negara Kanan bagi Pertahanan Republik Singapura dan membuat Kunjungan Hormat kepada Tuan Yang Terutama Jeneral Xu Qiliang, Timbalan Pengerusi Pusat Suruhanjaya Tentera, Republik Rakyat China.
Di dalam perjumpaan bersama Menteri Negara Kanan bagi Pertahanan Republik Singapura, kedua pihak telah menyuarakan keutuhan hubungan dua hala ketenteraan yang baik diantara kedua negara. Kedua belah pihak juga menyuarakan hasrat yang sama untuk lebih memajukan lagi hubungan pertahanan telah sedia ada.
Semasa kunjungan hormat kepada Timbalan Pengerusi bagi Pusat Suruhanjaya Tentera, Republik Rakyat China, kedua belah pihak menyatakan rasa puas hati diatas hala tuju positif pertalian pertahanan diantara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Republik Rakyat China. Mereka juga berbincang tentang isu-isu keselamatan serantau yang berkaitan dengan kedua negara.
Forum Xiangshan adalah satu acara yang diadakan setiap tahun, dimana ia dimulakan pada tahun 2006. Ianya dianjurkan bersama oleh Chinese Association for Military Science (CAMS) dan China Institute for International Strategic Studies (CIISS) dan menjadi wadah perbincangan diantara cendekiawan dan para pakar pertahanan tentang isu-isu penting di bidang keselamatan dan pertahanan. Ianya dihadiri oleh Menteri-menteri pertahanan, Pemerintah-pemerintah angkatan tentera dan pegawai-pegawai kanan tentera dan pertahanan yang lain.