More than 60 defence researchers from 21 nations attended a forum that started in Beijing on November 16 to discuss security in the Asia-Pacific region.

The fourth Xiangshan Forum is organised by the China Association for Military Science to promote exchanges of opinions among defence scholars from around the world, according to Xinhua news agency.

With the theme "Asia-Pacific Security: New Challenges and New Ideas", the three-day event focuses on situation assessment and outlook, regional cooperation in space security and Internet safety and ways to boost strategic mutual trust in the region.

The biennial forum was first held in 2006.-VNA