3rd Ld-Writethru: China Focus: Xi proposes to build security governance model with Asian features

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday proposed to Asian nations that they all explore a new approach to regional security cooperation, one that reflects Asian needs.

Xi made the proposal when addressing the opening ceremony of the fifth Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

The CICA was established in 1992 as a forum for dialogue and consultation on security issues in Asia. It has 26 member countries and 12 countries and international organizations as observers.

At the CICA Summit in Shanghai in 2014, Xi proposed a vision on common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia and the establishment of a new regional security cooperation framework based on the CICA.

Two years have passed, and the president called on those present to follow through and make the vision of a security governance model with Asian features a reality.

ROAD TO COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY ARCHITECTURE

Asian countries all value mutual respect, consensus-building and accommodation of each other's comfort levels, said Xi, calling on Asian nations to uphold these approaches.

The president said that some parts of the continent are still plagued by turbulence and conflict caused by traditional and non-traditional security threats.

"A stable and developing Asia is a blessing, while a turbulent and declining Asia would bring nothing but trouble to the world," he said, noting that closer regional security cooperation is needed now more than ever.

"Asia lacks a comprehensive security architecture that covers the whole continent," said Gao Zugui, vice director of the Institute for International Strategic Studies of the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

He said the CICA offers a platform for Asian nations to discuss the possibility of establishing such a framework.

The leading security architecture in today's Asia is the U.S.-led alliance system, which has divided Asian countries into two camps: U.S. allies and non-U.S. allies, said Ruan Zongze, vice president of the China Institute of International Studies.

"It is a divided and zero-sum security framework," said Ruan.

Xi said at the CICA summit that one cannot live in the 21st century with outdated thinking, and no country should seek absolute security of itself at the expense of others.

Asia is home to diverse nations, religions and cultures, with varying social systems, development paths and economic development levels, he said.

"Our perceptions and concerns on security issues may not always be the same," he said, suggesting that Asian nations scale up exchanges and communication to create a fertile environment to establish regional security governance.

The president called on CICA members to keep on the path toward building an Asian community of common future, develop a new type of partnership featuring win-win cooperation, and deepen security cooperation and confidence-building.

He suggested CICA members use Asia's diversity to do more to explore exchanges and mutual learning.

CICA members should uphold mutual understanding and mutual accommodation and peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and consultation, he said.

Asia's security architecture should fit regional conditions, Xi said.

CICA participants spoke highly of Xi's propositions.

They agreed that parties concerned should make good use of the CICA mechanism, implement the vision on Asian security, increase dialogue and cooperation, and jointly cope with various security challenges, to safeguard world and regional peace and security.

SECURITY HOTSPOTS IN ASIA

Xi's speech covered the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and the South China Sea.

On the nuclear issue, Xi reiterated China's full adherence to the UN Security Council resolution, and its commitment to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, securing peace and stability on the peninsula and resolving issues through dialogue and negotiation.

"As a close neighbor, we will never allow war or chaos on the peninsula, as this serves nobody's interests," he said.

He urged all the parties involved to exercise restraint, avoid mutual provocation and escalation of tension, make joint efforts to bring the nuclear issue back to dialogue and negotiation as early as possible, and work toward peace and security in Northeast Asia.

The president said China is, and always has been, committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. China will firmly stand by its sovereignty and rights and interests in the South China Sea, and remain committed to resolving disputes peacefully through friendly consultation and negotiation with countries directly concerned.

China will work with Southeast Asian nations to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation, he added.

Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey said on Thursday that Belarus opposes the internationalization of the South China Sea issue and any pressure exerted on the parties directly concerned.

Pakistan Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz agreed that the South China Sea disputes should be resolved peacefully through negotiations between the parties directly concerned following the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

Xi also touched on a number of other international conflicts and points of crises, calling for more international support for Afghanistan's reconstruction. He said China will play a constructive role in the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan.

China supports an "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned" inclusive political reconciliation process, and it is ready to provide assistance, he said.

He said China supports, and will continue to help promote, a peaceful settlement of the Syrian issue and the Palestine-Israel issue through political negotiation.

China has played a constructive role in the signing of a comprehensive agreement on the Iran nuclear issue and will continue to press ahead with all sides, Xi added.

PEACEFUL FOREIGN POLICY

In his speech, Xi reaffirmed China's adherence to a foreign policy of peace.

China proposed and has taken the lead in practicing a new Asian approach of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, he said.

China is firmly committed to pursuing the peaceful development path, maintaining international order with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter at its core, fostering a new type of international relations of win-win cooperation, and building a community of shared future for all, said the president.

Since taking over the CICA presidency in 2014, China has earnestly performed its duties and endeavored to advance dialogue and cooperation across the board, said Xi.

China will continue to hold the CICA presidency for the next two years, and China will work with other parties to raise CICA's profile in regional security and development affairs, he said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Xi's new propositions will contribute to the CICA development and will play a positive and constructive role in deepening security dialogue and cooperation in Asia and safeguarding regional peace, safety and stability. Endi