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       Chinese and Russian military chiefs on Monday criticized the United States as an agent of global instability at a Beijing military forum, where Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also threatened grave consequences over Western involvement in the war in Ukraine.

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       “The Western line of steady escalation of the conflict with Russia carries the threat of a direct military clash between nuclear powers, which is fraught with catastrophic consequences,” he said, according to Russia’s state-run Tass news agency.

       Shoigu made the remarks at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, China’s annual international military summit, where the country’s second-ranked military official, Zhang Youxia, also issued oblique criticisms of the United States — while simultaneously leaving the way open to improve military ties with Washington.

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       “Some countries deliberately create turbulence and interfere in other countries’ internal affairs,” said Zhang, the vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, in his keynote address, referring to the United States.

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       But in another part of his speech, Zhang said: “We will deepen strategic cooperation and coordination with Russia, and are willing to, on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, develop military ties with the U.S.”

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       The Beijing forum, which state media reported brought together delegations from more than 100 countries, provided a venue for “a second battlefield for Russia and the United States,” said Wan Qingsong, associate professor at the Center for Russian Studies at East China Normal University in Shanghai. “The purpose is to use such a platform to win over public opinion in countries in the Global South and prevent changes that are particularly detrimental to Russia.”

       The forum is typically hosted by China’s defense minister — but kicked off on Sunday without one, as the most recent occupant of the role, Li Shangfu, was sacked last week without explanation following a nearly two-month absence — the latest in a string of high level purges of Chinese defense officials. Li has yet to be replaced.

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       Li has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018 over Beijing’s purchases of Russian defense equipment and did not meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at a defense forum the two both attended in Singapore in May.

       Though Austin was reportedly invited to this week’s forum in Beijing, the event was instead attended by Cynthia Xanthi Carras, China country director in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense.

       In his address in Beijing, Zhang echoed China’s powerful leader Xi Jinping’s efforts to portray China as global peacemaker in direct contrast to the United States and its allies.

       But Zhang and other Chinese military officials stood firm that the issue of Taiwan, which Beijing claims is part of its territory, was not up for discussion.

       Taiwan was a “core interest” for China, said Zhang, warning that countries should not “deliberately provoke other countries on sensitive issues.”

       Lieutenant General He Lei warned on Sunday that if China were to use force against Taiwan, it would be “a war of reunification, legitimacy and justice,” said state media tabloid the Global Times.

       Pei-Lin Wu in Taipei contributed to this report.

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