China will host an unprecedented inaugural meeting for its premier annual security forum – at a time when Beijing is stepping up its global outreach amid the US tariff war. The flagship Beijing Xiangshan Forum security conference has been held every autumn since 2006. This is the first time that China has announced a meeting in the lead-up to the event that is a cornerstone of its military diplomacy. Representatives from 31 countries and international organisations will take part in next week’s “navigator meeting” to discuss “opportunities and challenges facing global security”, the Chinese defence ministry said on Thursday. Over 200 defence officials, scholars and media representatives were expected to attend the three-day event starting on Monday, with bilateral and multilateral meetings to be held on the sidelines, the ministry added. Seen as Beijing’s answer to the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, the Xiangshan Forum is typically attended by defence ministers and other senior officials from countries around the world. Representatives from over 90 countries, regions and international organisations took part in the 2023 and 2024 editions. The navigator meeting comes a month ahead of this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, which will be held from May 30 to June 1. The preview also comes as Beijing intensifies diplomatic efforts amid an escalating tariff war with the United States. It has been rallying the Global South in particular to set up a united front against protectionism while seeking to deepen cooperation. It is unclear whether US officials have been invited to the meeting. The South China Morning Post has reached out to the press office of the US Embassy in China for comment. President Xi Jinping sent out a message of “Asian family” unity against US tariffs and protectionism during his three-nation Southeast Asian tour last week, as Beijing doubled down on its diplomatic and economic charm offensive to counter the US tariffs. Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held a series of talks with his counterparts, the latest being with Switzerland’s Ignazio Cassis in Beijing on Thursday, when the top diplomats discussed the impact of US tariffs and agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation. Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has also held phone calls with the top trade officials of the European Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Brics. Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump claimed that “active” negotiations with China were under way that might see the reciprocal tariffs on Chinese goods “come down substantially”. Beijing has rejected the claim as “fake news”. The foreign ministry said on Friday that no bilateral tariff consultations were under way and that Washington should not “mislead the public”. US-China defence tensions have also grown since Trump’s return to the White House in January. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth last month emphasised Washington’s commitment to “re-establishing deterrence” against what he called “China’s aggressive actions” in the Indo-Pacific region. Hegseth also pledged to strengthen alliances and boost regional military cooperation as he visited American treaty allies Japan and the Philippines during what was his first official visit to Asia. The US and the Philippines launched their annual Balikatan military drills on Monday. As part of the exercise, the US Marine Corps will deploy its new land-based anti-ship missile systems in the Luzon Strait, which connects the South China Sea to the Pacific Ocean and is a key chokepoint in the first island chain between Taiwan and the Philippines. It is also one of the key transit routes to the Pacific for Beijing’s naval forces. The Chinese defence ministry has condemned the deployment, saying on Thursday that it “seriously undermines the common interests of regional countries”. nd said it will “seriously undermines the common interests of regional countries”.