Minister of National Defense Dong Jun told his counterparts from around the world on Thursday that the lessons of World War II must be remembered, and all forms of “repackaged” hegemonism and bullying must be firmly opposed to safeguard peace and justice.

The minister made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, noting that so-called military strategies of deterrence based on strength are essentially zero-sum confrontations, which he said will “only deepen hostility and will eventually backfire”.

He said that while the smoke of WWII dissipated 80 years ago, it left behind indelible lessons.

“The catastrophe of World War II left the international community with profound pain. People have remained highly vigilant against the pathogens of war, such as hegemonic expansion, racial superiority, and overriding of the international order,” Dong said at the high-end global security conference, which began on Wednesday and runs through Friday.

He warned that although peace and development remain the themes of the times, Cold War mentality, hegemonism and protectionism linger, even with attempts to turn the history of WWII into a tool of geopolitical competition.

The victory in the World Anti-Fascist War was the result of “the unity of justice that transcended differences in social systems, ideologies and cultures”, the defense chief said.

Dong highlighted that multipolarity is the inevitable trend as the world undergoes profound changes unseen in a century, but he cautioned against “blindly emphasizing absolute military superiority and equating strength with power”, which, he said, would inevitably lead to a disorderly, jungle-like multipolarity.

“On international affairs, we believe issues should be handled through consultation,” he said. “Global governance should be jointly built and shared by all countries, for common prosperity. This is what a multipolar world should look like.”

In China’s eyes, whether in state-to-state relations or in resolving international disputes, coercion and force must be avoided, he said. “Dialogue and consultation should be used to manage differences, bridge divides and eliminate the root causes of conflict.

“People who have endured aggression and oppression despise seeing armed forces become accomplices of hegemonism or tools of abuse,” Dong emphasized. “They expect militaries to play a greater role in deterring wars and preventing conflicts.”

As the Chinese military is a force for peace, the stronger it grows, the greater its power to curb wars will become, and the more that world peace and development will be assured, he said.

“We stand ready to work with all peace-loving forces to firmly defend the victory of WWII and the postwar international order, help militaries of all countries enhance their capacity to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests, and jointly shoulder the historic responsibility of maintaining world peace,” Dong said.

During the forum’s plenary sessions on Thursday, leaders from multiple countries and international organizations also emphasized the urgency of adhering to international law and strengthening dialogue in the current international and regional contexts.

Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s minister for defense, called on all countries to continue to promote and reinforce the integrated economic and security order underpinned by international law and sovereign equality.

“This system has allowed all countries, big and small, to have a fair chance to compete and contribute constructively to the global order,” he said.

“The alternative, where trust and dialogue are absent, will see both sides assume the worst of each other. Under the law of the jungle, the mighty will do what they wish, and the weak will suffer what they must. We must avoid this at all costs,” he said.

In addition, he called on major countries to manage their differences and tackle global challenges together, “from climate change to global health”, pointing out that between major powers, competition and cooperation are not mutually exclusive.

Kao Kim Hourn, secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, warned that the international order that enabled relative peace and prosperity is now under siege from resurgent power politics, erosion of trust and a disregard for widely accepted norms and values.

He highlighted that communication, confidence-building and cooperation can help strengthen both regional and global security governance.

“Practical collaboration reinforces dialogue, builds further confidence and demonstrates the positive-sum logic of multilateralism. By working together, states can pursue common interests without succumbing to zero-sum thinking,” he said.

Dejan Stojkovic, strategic planning head at the Serbian Ministry of Defence’s Defence Policy Sector, said the United Nations must be preserved as the last universal platform that brings all countries together, and he called for reform efforts to reinforce the UN’s capability to remain the cornerstone of peace and security.