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Dear Professor Zhang, I’m a reporter from China Military Network. What are the topics you are most concerned about in this Beijing Xiangshan Forum?

Zhang Weiwei:

I am deeply interested in several themes discussed at this year’s Xiangshan Forum, particularly regarding security in the Asia-Pacific region and the current situation in Europe, especially the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. I just came from the main session where I listened to a keynote speech by our Defense Minister, General Dong Jun, as well as presentations from six foreign defense ministers and senior military leaders. It has been quite enlightening. You can see the significance of the Xiangshan Forum in today’s world, as we are experiencing widespread unrest; Europe has lost its peace, the Middle East is in turmoil, and these crises have the potential to escalate further.

Zhang Weiwei (Right), a well-known professor in China, attended the Xiangshan Forum in September.

In the past, it was hard to imagine the possibility of a third world war, but now discussions about it have become common in Europe and the Middle East. I’ve heard that NATO is considering allowing its weapons to target deep inside Russia, to which Russia has responded by saying, “We must consider the possibility of nuclear war.” These developments highlight the loss of peace for humanity, which in turn jeopardizes development, leading to a vicious cycle. That’s why we are hosting this forum, inviting representatives from over 100 countries and more than 200 scholars to engage in dialogue and exchange ideas.

In his speech, Minister Dong Jun repeatedly emphasized an important point: China’s security perspective, which includes several key elements—common security, comprehensive security, cooperative security, and sustainable security. It’s not enough for a few countries or small groups to feel secure while others are not; that understanding is flawed. True security is collective and comprehensive. Today, security extends beyond traditional military conflicts to include non-traditional issues like the development of artificial intelligence, refugee crises, and climate change, which have led smaller countries to voice concerns about being submerged or affected.

I also want to emphasize the importance of collaborative development, advocating for the principle of “harmony as a priority” to collectively address various security challenges. This approach is essential for achieving sustainable security; otherwise, it won’t last long. Minister Dong Jun repeatedly emphasized the need for both symptom and root cause solutions, which aligns well with Chinese philosophy. I personally believe that one significant reason this forum is initiated by the Chinese military is that China is now a major military power. We hold considerable influence in the world; if China states that no one is allowed to initiate conflict in this region, especially in the Asia-Pacific, it means we will not tolerate anyone stirring up war here, and we will use all necessary means to prevent it. As a result, when China speaks, it carries weight, and other countries are willing to attend this forum.

This afternoon, I’m planning to attend the parallel session on “The Direction of European Security” because I know many of the participants attending the parallel session, including Karaganov, a highly influential political scholar from Russia, as well as former Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Alexander Chaly. I believe it’s very meaningful for a forum like this to bring together influential Russian scholars and former Ukrainian officials to speak in the same session. The two have met at the same forum last year, and given the ongoing developments in the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as the participation of representatives from various sensitive Western institutions this year, I think it’s a positive step to facilitate diverse discussions and communication among all parties.

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On March 17 last year, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of committing “war crimes” and illegally deporting children from Ukraine to Russia. As one of the 123 member countries of the ICC, Mongolia is obligated to arrest Putin upon his arrival and transfer him to The Hague for trial.

But instead of being arrested, Putin was welcomed in Mongolia with an open statement from the country, declaring “Mongolia depends on Russian oil imports.”

Apologies, everyone, our hands are kind of tied. That’s the message from Mongolia’s government after it failed to arrest Putin when he arrived in the country for an official visit.

According to “牛弹琴,” a social media account reportedly affiliated with China’s state news agency Xinhua commented, “The red carpet in Mongolia was rolled all the way to the airplane’s stairs, and Putin jogged off the plane. Mongolia’s Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg, dressed in a red suit, greeted him at the bottom of the stairs.” The article added that “Mongolia made history for Putin.”

Mongolia’s Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg greeted Putin at the bottom of the stairs

Adding to the China Academy polling on how Chinese view the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Palestine war , we now provide you a snapshot of how Chinese netizens are reacting to this particular piece of news.

On China’s largest political news website, Guancha.cn, the news once made it to the headline, with popular netizen comments shown  as follows:

@神经兮兮邱雨庵 (346 likes) teased Mongolia for how it cunningly navigates political tensions:


“Sorry, we’re good at singing and dancing.”

@塞上一农夫 (320 likes):


“How does the ICC have the authority to issue an arrest warrant for Putin? Why don’t former U.S. presidents, who committed war crimes, receive the same treatment?”

@路过农业部 (198 likes):


“‘He won’t be arrested because Mongolia needs Russian energy.’ How does anyone come up with such reasoning? Is that the main reason? Even if they didn’t need Russian energy, would they dare?”

@坐市井观天 (124 likes):


“The ICC should have been prepared to be slapped in the face when they did this.”

@闲云里的野鹤 (85 likes):


“National interests come above all else at any time. Mongolia made the right choice!!!”

Some commenters voiced empathy for Mongolia’s decision, with one saying:


@小辣椒:


“Haha, let’s see how the U.S. would react if Putin visited it.”


This comment was immediately met with a response from another user:


@夜雨观荷:


“In 2002, the U.S. withdrew from the Rome Statute of the ICC and stopped fulfilling its obligations. The U.S. government is critical of the ICC and has taken measures to limit its investigations into American citizens.

For example, former President Trump signed an executive order authorizing economic sanctions and travel restrictions on ICC officials investigating U.S. actions in the Afghanistan war. Former Secretary of State Pompeo also threatened visa restrictions if the ICC pursued investigations into the U.S.”

Other commenters highlighted Mongolia’s difficulties:


@难道你不知道我是一条狗吗:


“Russia owns 50% of the Mongolian national railway company. The fuel company at Ulaanbaatar airport is owned by Russia. The funniest part is that Western countries have banned their airlines from flying over Russian airspace. Even if Putin wanted to surrender, he couldn’t fly there.”

Screenshot of Chinese netizens’ comments

On Zhihu, China’s version of Quora, there are over 369 responses to a question related the news. Netizens are divided into two camps: one camp lays out all the geopolitical pros and cons in analyzing Mongolia’s predicament, while the other uses humor to close the discussion, seeing Mongolia’s refusal to arrest Putin as too obvious a choice.  Here are some representative responses.

@flyingpanzer (1,175 likes):


“Putin’s visit to Mongolia showcases the first principle of international geopolitics—‘might makes right.’ It is clear that Mongolia is caught between its desire to join the Western-led international order and the practical realities of its geopolitical interests. Mongolia must face reality.”

Former Mongolian Prime Minister Elbegdorj’s statements on X (formerly Twitter) shows how he views the Ukraine war, which shed light on ideological inclinations shared by many Monolian elites.  

Undoubtedly he wants to be accepted into the U.S.-led geopolitical sphere. However, it’s important to note that Russia is Mongolia’s largest fuel supplier, and China is its largest import partner. Even from a geopolitical standpoint, Mongolia is heavily dependent on Russia.

When forced to choose between the Western international order and its own interests, Mongolia has no option but to pick one.

@第二类永动机 (1,108 likes), poking fun at Putin’s flexible diplomacy:


“In Russia, he’s an Orthodox Christian. In Chechnya, he’s a Muslim. In North Korea, he’s a proponent of Juche. In Mongolia, he’s a Tibetan Buddhist.”

Two comments, both referencing the ICC’s arrest warrant to Netanyahu but with different angles, caught our attention.

@klee前来报到 (46 likes) focused on the U.S. stance:


“Ukraine’s basis for its case is the ICC’s arrest warrant for Putin. But guess who else the ICC issued an arrest warrant for? On May 20, U.S. President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken issued statements expressing outrage at the ICC. Netanyahu slammed the ICC prosecutor as ‘anti-Semitic.’ U.S. House Speaker (Republican) Johnson said Congress is reviewing all options, including sanctions against ICC prosecutors. Biden said, ‘The prosecutor’s arrest warrant for the Israeli leader is outrageous. Let me be clear: there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel.’”

@丰hiki’s comment (4 likes) highlighted the ICC’s awkward position and Chinese netizens’ distinct views on the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts:


“The ICC has two arrest warrants—one for Putin, the other for Netanyahu. The contrast between the two comment sections is fascinating.”

If you want to learn more about our previous surveys on Chinese views regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict（https://thechinaacademy.org/poll-how-many-chinese-people-favor-a-sino-russia-military-alliance/）, feel free to sign up for membership. You’ll get a free 7-day premium member trial.

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