More than 120 defense officials, experts and scholars from 43 countries and international organizations are gathering for the 2026 Beijing Xiangshan Forum Navigator Meeting, which will officially open Friday morning.
A welcome banquet will be held for the guests Thursday evening.
Held from Thursday to Saturday under the theme of Global Security Governance: Challenges and Approaches, the meeting will focus on four topics: international order and international rule of law, new security challenges in the Asia-Pacific, responsibilities in safeguarding global common security, and risk control in the military application of emerging technologies.
On Friday afternoon, the event will hold a commemorative session for the 20th Anniversary of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum titled the Role of International Forums in Global Security Governance.
The Navigator Meeting, a key forward-looking event for the main forum, is co-hosted by the China Association for Military Science and the China Institute for International Strategic Studies. It aims to build an open, inclusive and equal international platform for security dialogue, and make intellectual contribution to improving global security governance and building a more just and equitable international order through multilateral discussions and in-depth exchanges, said the Chinese Ministry of National Defense.
Beijing Xiangshan Forum convenes navigator meeting on May 7-9
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday it had sent a note to all foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited with the ministry, urging them to ensure evacuating personnel from Kiev.
According to the statement, the note referenced a warning on Monday by the Russian Defense Ministry about threats from the Ukrainian authorities to carry out attacks on Moscow during Victory Day celebrations.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on governments and organizations to take the warning with maximum responsibility and ensure the timely evacuation of their staff and citizens from Kiev, given the "inevitability of a retaliatory strike" by the Russian forces against Kiev if Ukraine interrupts the celebrations.
The ministry said Russian diplomatic missions abroad were also informing the countries of accreditation and international organizations of the situation.
On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry warned that any attempts to disrupt the celebrations marking the 81st anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War would trigger a "massive missile strike" on central Kiev. This came following remarks from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said on Monday that Ukrainian drones may appear at Russia's Victory Day parade.
Victory Day, observed annually on May 9 to mark the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War, is one of Russia's most important national holidays. The Kremlin said in late April that a military parade would still be held in Red Square without military equipment because of security concerns.
Russia urges evacuation from Kiev in note to foreign diplomatic missions
