China is expected to invite top defense officials from both South and North Korea to the fifth Xiangshan Forum set to open in November in Beijing.
 
A source in Beijing said Monday that China plans to invite officials from some 40 countries, including South Korea’s defense minister and head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea’s minister of the People’s Armed Forces and Japan’s defense minister.
 
However, observers in Beijing said it is highly unlikely that key defense officials of the two Koreas will appear side by side at the security and defense forum, given the current chilly relations between the two Koreas.
 
This year’s Xiangshan Forum will run from November 20 to the 22.
 
Organized by the China Military Sciences Society, the forum has opened biannually since 2006. This year, the forum became larger with the participation of China’s Defense Ministry.