Stability key to prosperity, stress intl defense officials

Against a backdrop of growing global challenges and threats to the international order, defense officials from around the world reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Charter and stressed the importance of stability in fostering prosperity at the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which opened in Beijing on Wednesday.

Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng said at the forum's welcome banquet on Tuesday evening that the world is undergoing accelerated transformation, with the international landscape marked by intertwined turbulence and change.

Han stressed the need to uphold the principles of the UN Charter and true multilateralism to build a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable model of global governance.

He called on countries to resolve disputes and conflicts through dialogue and consultation, while accelerating efforts to improve governance rules in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, cyberspace and outer space.

China has always been a force for peace, actively exploring the right way for major countries to interact in the new era, supporting international peace through concrete actions and taking the lead in serving as a "stabilizer" for world peace, Han said.

This year marks the forum's 20th anniversary. Han said that over the past two decades, the forum has played an important role in building consensus on security, promoting defense cooperation and maintaining regional peace and stability.

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun addressed the forum's opening ceremony on Wednesday. With international security at a fragile juncture, Dong called on countries to build consensus based on the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and safeguard stability through multilateralism.

He also stressed the importance of preventing risks by drawing lessons from history and deepening cooperation through action-oriented approaches.

China is promoting common security through common development, thereby strengthening the foundations for universal security, Dong said.

"The armed forces of all countries shoulder the people's hopes and trust for peace and security," he said. "In today's increasingly interdependent world, the deeper our cooperation, the safer the world will be."

Dong said the Chinese military is willing to work with armed forces around the world to jointly implement the Global Security Initiative, strengthen mutual trust, enhance international coordination on common security and improve their capacity to safeguard security.

Under the theme "Build Consensus on Stability, Advance Security Governance Together", this year's forum, held from Tuesday to Thursday, has brought together about 2,000 guests, including government officials, experts, scholars and observers from more than 100 countries, regions and international organizations.

Defense ministers and other officials at the forum highlighted growing global challenges, including violations of international law and warfare driven by advanced technologies, and called for greater mutual understanding among countries to avoid security dilemmas and for reforms to strengthen multilateral institutions.

Nurlan Yermekbayev, secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, said the SCO advocates a more representative, democratic, fair and multipolar world order while supporting the UN's central coordinating role.

He said the SCO experience shows that countries with different political systems, cultural traditions and development models can still find common solutions based on equal consultation and mutual respect.

ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn emphasized that true strategic stability depends on international law rather than sheer power, and is grounded in mutual respect for sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs and the rejection of force.

Phan Van Giang, deputy prime minister of Vietnam and minister of national defense, said the UN Charter must be respected to build a fair and inclusive international order and strategic environment.

He said countries, regardless of their size, should respect one another and each other's legitimate interests. "Competition should not come at the expense of cooperation," he said, expressing appreciation for the contributions of China's global initiatives to regional and international stability.

Adul Boonthumjaroen, Thailand's minister of defense, said the mission of militaries is not only to prepare for war, but also to prevent war. Viewing defense cooperation as "a bridge, not a wall", he called for deeper trust through joint exercises, mutual visits, information sharing and humanitarian disaster relief.

Russian State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Defence Anna Tsivileva highlighted China-Russia relations as an equal partnership based on mutual support and understanding, principles she said should underpin a multipolar world order.

She added that the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization proposed by China in July has laid a solid foundation for developing international rules and governance for artificial intelligence.

lishangyi@chinadaily.com.cn