Xi Jinping Attends Opening Ceremony of the 5th Meeting of the CICA Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Delivers Important Speech, Stressing to Jointly Create a Better Future of Peace and Prosperity for Asia Through Dialogue and Consensus
2016-04-28 15:31

On April 28, 2016, the 5th Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) opened in Beijing. President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered an important speech entitled "Jointly Create a Better Future of Peace and Prosperity for Asia Through Dialogue and Consensus", stressing to adhere to and follow through the vision on common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia, build consensus, step up dialogue and coordination, contribute to the fostering of a security governance model with Asian features, and open up a brighter future of peace and prosperity for Asia.

Xi Jinping firstly extended warm congratulations on the opening of the meeting on behalf of the Chinese government and people. He pointed out that the meeting, under the theme of "promoting security through dialogue", will help pool consensus, contribute to security in Asia, seek common development, strengthen CICA's role, and enhance trust and coordination among CICA members. This is of great significance to security and prosperity in Asia and beyond.

Xi Jinping noted that today in Asia, peace and stability is the defining trend, and development and prosperity represent the common aspirations of the people. As a world leader in economic development, Asia enjoys vibrant regional cooperation and integration and rising strategic status in the global development landscape. On the other hand, some parts of our continent are still plagued by turbulence and conflicts caused by traditional security challenges while terrorism and other non-traditional security threats are posing rising dangers to Asia. The situation cries out for ever closer regional security cooperation.

Xi Jinping stressed that at the CICA Summit in Shanghai in 2014, China proposed a vision on common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia and called for joint efforts to explore an inclusive and win-win approach to Asian security that is for all and by all. Under the new circumstances, we should keep to the direction, develop a new type of partnership featuring win-win cooperation and live together in the spirit of mutual respect, equality, mutual assistance and solidarity. We should accommodate reasonable concerns of others while pursuing our own interests, promote common development while seeking our own development, respect security of others while safeguarding our own security, and join hands in building an Asian community of common future. We should cement the foundation, turn the diversity of Asia into an impetus for more exchanges and cooperation, and facilitate inclusiveness, mutual learning and common development of different civilizations, so as to solidify the foundation for comprehensive regional security governance. We should uphold mutual understanding and mutual accommodation, keep commitment to justice, and uphold peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and consultation in accordance with international law. We need to enhance trust, resolve disagreements and promote security through dialogue. We should promote crisis management through rules-making, and de-escalate tension by strengthening mutual trust, with a view to defusing crisis through political means and promoting gradual resolution to complicated regional hotspot issues. We should uphold and promote the Asian way of mutual respect, consensus-building and accommodation of each other's comfort levels long been cherished by the Asian countries, strengthen coordination among regional security frameworks, and explore the building of a new architecture of regional security cooperation that reflects Asian needs step by step.

Xi Jinping pointed out that people around the world yearn for cooperation and inclusiveness. And countries and peoples in Asia have the ability and see the pressing need to maintain a sound environment of security and development in Asia through dialogue and cooperation. We welcome countries outside the region making positive contribution to peace and stability here and working with Asian countries to promote security, stability, development and prosperity of Asia. China follows a foreign policy of peace. We have worked all along to uphold, promote and contribute to international and regional security. China is firmly committed to pursuing the peaceful development path, maintaining the international order with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter at its core, fostering a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation as the core, and building a community of shared future for all mankind.

Xi Jinping noted that China is committed to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, to peace and stability on the Peninsula, and to the resolution of issues through dialogue and consultation. We hope that various parties will make joint efforts to bring the nuclear issue back to the track of dialogue and negotiation as early as possible, and work toward long-lasting peace and security in Northeast Asia. China is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. We firmly stand by our 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. We will continue to work with ASEAN countries to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.

Xi Jinping stressed that the Chinese people are making united efforts to fulfill the Chinese dream of great renewal of the Chinese nation. While pursuing the Chinese dream, the Chinese people will support people from other countries in realizing their own dreams, so that together, we will make the Asian dream of enduring peace and common prosperity come true and open up a great future for Asia.

State Councilor Yang Jiechi and others were present at the event. Foreign Minister Wang Yi chaired the opening ceremony.

The 5th Meeting of the CICA Ministers of Foreign Affairs was held in Beijing from April 27 to 28. Over 40 delegations from CICA member states, observer states and relevant international organizations were present at the meeting.

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