SINGAPORE, May 8 (Xinhua) -- All governments and defense establishments in
the Asian region should join hands to meet the challenges and promote common
security through enhanced mutual understanding and mutually beneficial
cooperation, a senior Chinese military official said here on Thursday.
Speaking at the security policy conference of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF), Chen Xiaogong, Assistant Chief of
General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, noted that differences
among countries in security concepts have brought further complication for
regional security dialogue and cooperation. Against this backdrop of ongoing
global transformation, prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region bear
upon not only the interests of countries in this region, but also world peace
and development.
The Major General said that as a permanent member of the UN Security
Council and a member of ARF, China has always been an active participant and an
ardent advocator for regional security cooperation.
He said China has been energetically involved in the settlement of hotspot
issues such as the nuclear issues on the Korean peninsula and the nuclear issue
of Iran.
China has opened military hotlines with the Russian Defense Ministry and
the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as held regular defense and security
consultations and dialogues with many countries in this region, he added.
Addressing senior officials from 27 members of ARF who are here attending
the closed-door meetings to prepare for a gathering of foreign ministers in
July, Chen said that faced with complex and changing regional and international
situation, all defense establishments and militaries share the common tasks of
maintaining peace and stability, and creating a favorable environment for
regional prosperity and development.
"In accordance with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, the
Chinese military is ready to enhance friendly exchanges with our foreign
counterparts, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and make unremitting
efforts to achieve harmony in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
To this end, Chen made several proposals including "Firstly, to form a
cooperation concept featuring equality, mutual benefit, openness and
practicality" and "Secondly, to bring into due play the role of ARF Security
Policy Conference."
He also proposed to deepen cooperation in the field of coping with
non-traditional security threats, saying, "All countries should strengthen
practical exchanges and cooperation in fields like disaster relief,
anti-terrorism, peacekeeping, and fighting transnational crimes."
According to the Major General, the Chinese side proposes to host the
Seminar on Law in International Disaster Relief in Beijing in 2009 to discuss
legal support of the participation of military force in international disaster
relief efforts.
In addition, China will continue to host seminars and other programs for
exchanges under the 10+1 (ASEAN and China) and 10+3 (ASEAN and China, Japan and
South Korea) frameworks.
He also suggested to improve regional security mechanism.
"Following the principle of agreement through consultation, and achievement
through gradual process, and on a voluntary basis," he said "all countries in
this region should deepen and perfect existing regional security mechanisms,
explore joint early-warning and crisis management mechanisms in fields like
disaster relief, anti-terrorism, and non-proliferation, support the parallel
development of existing regional and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms and
work arduously to establish a security cooperation pattern in which we will be
able to draw on each other's experience and grow from strength to strength."
The ASEAN Regional Forum involves ASEAN member countries, namely Brunei,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam, as well as 17 other countries and organizations like
China, Japan, South Korea, the United States and the European
Union.
