All eyes on Xiangshan for signs of China’s next defence minister, thaw in US-China defence ties

News Snapshot:

BEIJING – When China’s top security forum opens on Sunday, political observers will be watching out for clues to who will be China’s next defence minister, as well as signs of a thaw in military relations between China and the United States. A key sign of the first issue will be the leader of China’s delegation for the Xiangshan (Fragrant Hills) Forum, a high-level security conference akin to Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue. In China, the defence minister leads military diplomatic engagements, such as meetings with foreign defence leaders, and typically speaks at the opening of the forum.