Munich Security Conference concludes amid strained transatlantic relations

MUNICH, Germany - The 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) concluded here on Sunday amid strained transatlantic relations.

"We have to fear that our common value base is not that common anymore," Christoph Heusgen, chairman of the MSC, remarked on Sunday, pointing to the growing divide between Europe and the US, as he closed the three-day annual event.

In the wake of US Vice President J.D. Vance's controversial speech at the MSC, Heusgen expressed his gratitude that European politicians had "spoken out and reaffirmed the values and principles they are defending".

During this year's meeting, participants, including around 60 heads of state and government and 150 ministers, discussed key global security challenges such as climate change, European security and regional conflicts.

Yet, divisions persisted on issues like the Ukraine conflict and European defense, amid an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.

What set this year's MSC apart was Vance's comment regarding Europe's democracy and free speech, which sparked widespread backlash and openly exposed the rift between the US and its transatlantic allies, Xiao Qian, deputy head of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, told Xinhua.

Heusgen emphasized the urgent need for shared norms and principles in a multipolar world. "This order is easy to disrupt, to destroy, but much harder to rebuild," he noted.

Highlighting the rising importance of the Global South, Heusgen concluded that over 30 percent of speakers at this year's conference were from Africa, Asia, Latin America, ensuring their voices were heard in discussions on the evolving multipolar order.