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All eyes on Xiangshan for signs of China’s next defence minister, thaw in US-China defence ties
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General Liu Zhenli (second from left) and General Zhang Youxia (fourth from left) are possible contenders for the job of defence minister.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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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.
