Leading experts from China, South Korea, US and Russia gather at a session to discuss international security on Sunday at the 9th Beijing Xiangshan Forum. Photo: Liu Xuanzun/GT

The Chinese military will always be a force that promotes peace and justice no matter how it develops, a senior Chinese military official said on Sunday.

China has always supported multilateralism and contributed China's strength by providing more and more public security goods, Xu Qiliang, Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission, said the reception and opening banquet of the ninth Beijing Xiangshan Forum on Sunday. 

Military leaders and prominent experts from around the world are in Beijing for this year's Xiangshan Forum which began Sunday to discuss how to maintain international stability and promote peace, and not allow competition to turn into conflict.

Xu's speech stressed the importance of international security and the need for talks instead of confrontation, Wu Xinbo, director of Fudan University's Center for American Studies, told the Global Times at the forum.

Xu also noted that the Chinese military is offering more international public security goods, indicating China's contribution to international cooperation.

Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe is scheduled to read a congratulatory message from Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday in an opening ceremony, when Wei will deliver a keynote speech. 

The forum provides China the opportunity to discuss how to prevent competition between major countries from turning into conflict, Wu said.

Sessions on Monday will feature senior military officials and top experts from around the world, including Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. 

They will discuss topics such as major country relations and international order and security risk management in the Asia-Pacific region.

On Tuesday, the forum will feature sessions on the interests of medium and small counties, common security, an international arms control regime and global stability.

Arms control will also be a focus of the forum after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and participants might get a better understanding on China's role in nuclear disarmament in the future, Zhou Bo, director of the Security Cooperation Center of the Office for International Military Cooperation at China's Ministry of National Defense told the Global Times at the forum. 

Chinese and foreign military experts pointed out that the Xiangshan Forum has become larger over the years.

According to a statement China Association of Military Science, a co-organizer of the forum, sent to the Global Times, more than 530 participants from 76 official delegations including 23 defense ministers and six army chiefs had confirmed their attendance by Friday.

"Xiangshan Forum was initially a small forum held for scholars. But now, it includes both senior military officials and eminent scholars," Zhou said. 

Li Qingqing and Yan Yunming contributed to this story