Persisting in Extensive Consultation,Joint Contribution and Shared Benefits and Promoting Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region
--Highlights of the First Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security

By Editors of the Contemporary World magazine

The first thematic symposium entitled Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security:the Current Situation in the Asia-Pacific Region sponsored by the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament(CPAPD)was held in Beijing from June 20 to 21,2018.More than 50 experts and scholars from 19 countries,including the United States,Russia,Japan,Germany and India,etc.as well as from the host country’s institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,China’s Institutes of Contemporary International Relations,China’s Institute of International Studies,the National Defense University, Tsinghua University and the Renmin University of China,participated in the seminar,with in-depth discussions on three topics of China-U.S.Relations and Asia-Pacific Security, the Security Situation and Prospects in Northeast Asia,and the Building of the Asia-Pacific Security Mechanism.

Persisting in extensive consultation,joint contribution and shared benefits and promoting security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region

The current world is in major changes that are unseen for a century.Therefore,CPCCC General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly points out that China will adhere to the path of peaceful development,and work to build a new form of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind.The “two builds”,with great vision and forward-looking and rich contents,have not only become the orientation and goal for the Chinese diplomatic efforts,but also provided the China’s wisdom and China’s program for resolving the current world-wide hard problems.Presently,the “two builds”are being transformed from concepts to pragmatic actions. Particularly the Belt and Road construction with a community of a shared future for mankind as the banner has become a most welcomed international public product so far,and the biggest cooperation platform for various countries to achieve common development.

Song Tao,Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee(IDCPC), attended the symposium and delivered a keynote speech entitled Building Consensus and Making Concerted Efforts toward a Secure Homeland in the Asia-Pacific.Wang Yajun,CPAPD Adviser and Vice Minister of the IDCPC,attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.Former State Councilor Dai Bingguo had in-depth exchanges with some foreign delegates.Fu Ying,Vice Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 13th National People's Congress,attended the seminar evening party,delivered a special speech and exchanged views with foreign participants.

Song Tao emphasized that it is of great importance that the First Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security focuses on Asia-Pacific Security.The Asia-Pacific region is the largest economic plate in the world.The Asia-Pacific region to realize development and prosperity cannot be separated from a peaceful and stable regional environment.Currently,the overall situation of the Asia-Pacific region is stable,and to settle differences and disputes through dialogue and coordination becomes important policy orientation of various countries.Looking forward to the future,the Asia-Pacific countries should go with the trend of the times,abandon the outdated thinking of your wining meaning my losing and your rising meaning my declining,abandon the outdated practice of the jungle law,and achieving selfish interests at the cost of others,should innovate security concepts,expand security cooperation and build security mechanisms,adhere to building of a new-type international relations and building a community with a shared future for mankind as the guidance,and strive to pioneer an Asia-Pacific security path with joint construction,shared benefits and win-win outcomes.

Minister Son Tao makes a 5-point proposal as follows:

First,common development needs to be promoted through win-win cooperation so as to consolidate the economic foundation for security in the Asia-Pacific.Asia-Pacific countries need to focus on development,expand more cooperation space,enhance interconnectivity and interoperability,strengthen shared interests,enable all nations and peoples to share the benefits of development,and realize sustainable security through sustainable development.China will continuously follow the open strategy of mutual benefits and win-win outcomes,share its development opportunities with countries in the world,welcome Asia-Pacific countries aboard the express train of China’s development,make bigger the cake for cooperation,and realize common prosperity and security.We welcome the regional countries to participate in the Belt and Road construction, to align their development strategies,draw their development blue prints,jointly share development fruits,and promote the Belt and Road construction to become a new platform and growth point for the Asia-Pacific cooperation.

Second,mutual respect,equality and mutual trust need to be promoted to consolidate the political foundation of the Asia-Pacific security.The Asia-Pacific countries have formulated some effective cooperation models and methods,such as treating each other as equals, respecting sovereignty, reaching consensus through consultation,proceeding step by step,accommodating the comfort levels for all sides,etc.,and should take a lead in pioneering a new path to state-to-state exchanges featured by dialogue instead of confrontation,and partnership instead of alliance,on which basis a new regional security situation could be created. China is ready to continuously conduct political dialogue,strengthen strategic communication,enhance mutual understanding with the regional countries and the major countries concerned,respect each others’core interests and the bottom line,correctly understand each others development intentions,and further build and accumulate political mutual trust.

Third,mutual learning among civilizations and sincere heart-to-heart bonds need to be promoted to consolidate the opinion base for enhancing common security in the Asia-Pacific.The Asia-Pacific countries should more consciously oppose confrontation of civilizations and clash of civilizations,advocate dialogue and interactions of civilizations,be devoted to transcending differences and biases of the social systems and ideologies,enhance mutual understanding and trust of peoples of various countries,and transform the diversity and differences into impetus and vitality for regional security cooperation.China is ready continuously with the open vision and open spirit to carry out cultural dialogue,exchanges and cooperation with the regional countries,and to yield the fruits of common development and shared security with the seeds of friendship among various peoples.In 5 years to come,the Communist Party of China will provide 15,000 visitors with opportunities to come to China for exchanges to political parties of various countries in the world,and we hope that the Asia-Pacific countries will have a large number of it.

Fourth,dialogue and consultation need to be promoted for innovative ideas to forge greater consensus for security in the Asia-Pacific region.The regional countries should adhere to the multi-thronged and comprehensive measures,properly control contradictions and differences,coordinately push for security governance,focus on resolving the current prominent security issues,but also make overall plans to respond to potential security threats,and collaborate to maintain the regional security and stability.Looking forward to the future,China will vigorously practice the common,comprehensive,cooperative and sustainable new security concept,and play positive and constructive role in promoting the regional peace and stability.

Fifth,consultation and collaboration need to be promoted on security cooperation to put in place an effective security framework for the Asia-Pacific security. The Asia-Pacific countries should follow principles of equal participation,open and inclusiveness,and step by step process to gradually accumulate mutual trust, expand consensus, and extend cooperation,and make unremitting efforts in the direction of building an Asia-Pacific integrated security framework.China is a promoter and supporter of the existing regional security framework,will not abandon it and start a new one,but patch and improve it based on the principles of joint construction,shared benefits and win-win outcomes.We are ready to work with all sides to collectively promote a greater development of regional security mechanism,and build the Asia-Pacific region with common security and comprehensive security.

Foreign experts at the meeting responded enthusiastically to Minister Song Tao's keynote speech,having generally appreciated China's efforts to promote regional peace and development and to resolve hot issues,and believed that China has played an important role in promoting settlement of the DPRK nuclear issue.The current security situation in Northeast Asia is facing several favorable factors,and China is expected to play a greater role in maintaining peace and stability in Northeast Asia.Hoang Hue Anh,a researcher with the Institute of Chinese Studies at Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and Professor G.Sereeter of Mongolian Institute for Geopolitical Studies,and others believed that China's national,political and cultural self-confidence has been notably enhanced,and the Belt and Road construction has great effect on strengthening national cohesion and solidarity and cooperation.China adheres to the path of reform,opening up and peaceful development,adheres to the diplomatic principle of maintaining neighborliness and partnership,especially President Xi Jinping's important thought of common, comprehensive,cooperative and sustainable security contributes wisdom to safeguarding regional development and stability.Jalil Jilani,former Pakistani Foreign Secretary,and former Ambassador to the United States and European Union,and Colin Robertson,Vice President of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute,agreed with China's development goals for promoting common security and universal security in the Asia-Pacific region, believed that the Asia-Pacific region is the engine of global economic growth and that the existing security framework must be reformed and improved,and security dialogue and security mechanism building be strengthened.Antonie Levesques,research fellow with International Institute for Strategic Studies in London,UK,and C.Wirth,research fellow with Institute of Asian Studies at German Institute of Global and Area Studies,agreed with China's proposal to adhere to mutual learning between civilizations and promote spiritual communication,saying that countries outside the region are also looking forward to participating in security cooperation of the Asia-Pacific region,and that only mutual understanding and trust can be continuously enhanced,can regional security cooperation be furthered. Participants have reached an important consensus on Asia-Pacific security,believed that,despite the instability and uncertainties of the current security situation in the Asia-Pacific region,the pursuit of peace,stability and development is the strategic orientation and interests of most countries.In order to create a peaceful,stable,healthy,harmonious,cooperative and win-win security environment of Asia-Pacific,regional countries should establish new security concepts,strive to maintain strategic stability and enhance strategic mutual trust,strive to build a future-oriented regional security framework conforming with regional realities and meeting the needs of all parties,and jointly shape a bright future for lasting peace and universal security in the Asia-Pacific region.

Building a dialogue platform and creating the Wanshou brand

Founded in 1985,the CPAPD is the largest national non-governmental peace organization in China.Its purpose is to strive to promote mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between the Chinese people and the peoples of the rest of the world,oppose arms race and war,jointly safeguard world peace and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.The CPAPD has established and maintained exchanges and cooperation in various forms with more than 300 civil peace organizations and security research institutions in more than 90 countries and regions.Since its inception,the CPAPD has attached great importance to the study of security issues,sponsored various bilateral or multilateral seminars from time to time,and held the first Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security,which is an important innovation for it to further develop its unique advantages,strengthen the study of security issues and strive to create a distinctive brand under the new situation.

In his speech,Wang Yajun said that the purpose of holding the Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security is to build a high-end institutional dialogue platform for all sides.Hosting well the First Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security will help us accumulate experience and open up a new vista for holding better ones in the future.It is hoped that this seminar will serve as a starting point for building a dialogue platform and forging a Wanshou brand,and gradually make the Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security bigger,more powerful and substantial.Wang Yajun put forward three ideas on how to have a good Seminar:Firstly,pooling the wisdom of all sides and sticking to brainstorming.Today's world is in a period of major development,change and adjustment,many issues including security issues go beyond people's traditional perception and make it difficult for people to understand,perceive and work them out.The Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security can provide a professional platform for all sides to work together on international security issues and to come up with accurate diagnosis and a truly effective prescriptions. Secondly,persisting in seeking common ground while reserving differences.Currently,isolationism,protectionism and populism are rising rapidly.To measure others by one-made standards and to demand others by one-set tolerance and strictness will result in a split rather than a synergy when coming together for discussions.A Chinese ancient motto says that gentlemen are harmonious without sameness. The Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security is an open and inclusive platform and a platform of incorporating ideas of diversity.Our world is rich and colorful because of its diversity.Thirdly,persisting in closed door discussions.Security issues are relatively sensitive.If the forum is completely open,it is likely to become a mere talking shop.The Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security adopts a closed-door meeting mechanism,so we speak freely and frankly,and even some immature views and ideas being verified are welcomed to the platform for exchanges and discussions.Wang Yajun emphasized that the symposium was named Wanshou meaning"Longevity"in Chinese and demonstrated good wishes of the organizers for lasting-peace and long-term stability in the world.It is believed that with the active support and participation of all sides,the title Wanshou"longevity"will become more and more well-known, and we together contribute wisdom and strength to building a more secure Asia-Pacific and a more peaceful world.

Experts and scholars at home and abroad spoke highly of the significance of the Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security platform.In a speech at the closing ceremony,Moon Chung-in,a Special Adviser to President for unification,foreign affairs and national security,ROK and honorary professor of Yonsei University,said that he was deeply impressed by the seminar.Firstly,the participants are widely represented.Delegates from major countries in the Asia-Pacific region and elsewhere fully reflect diverse security concerns and requirements.Secondly,the depth and value of the discussions.Delegates at the meeting expressed their opinions freely and frankly,carefully analyzed the current situation of the relevant issues,explored the causes in depth and put forward constructive ideas.Thirdly,the organizers are experienced.The conference schedule is compact, orderly,diverse and innovative,and the staff are conscientious and responsible.He hoped that the Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security will take this as a starting point,continue to gather international security experts to make a voice,bring together the wisdom and make important contributions regarding issues related to global security governance.Robert S.Ross,associate with Harvard University’s John King Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies,;Hwang Jaeho,Dean of Division of International Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Director of Global Security Cooperation Center,ROK;Osawa Jun,Senior Research Fellow with Institute for International Policy Studies,Japan;Andrew Chubb,Researcher with Perth USAsia Centre,Australia;etc.pointed out that there are contradictions among some countries represented here,and there are differences and debates on scholars’positions,opinions and views,however,it is of great positive significance for them to be able to sit together and exchange views.It is generally believed that the Wanshou Dialogue on Global Security is open, inclusive and innovative. The participants of the seminar pooled their ideas,expressed their opinions candidly,collided with different views and learned from each other,and achieved the purpose of mutual exchange,mutual enlightenment and collision with ideas,together provided wisdom and solutions to the hard security problems facing the Asia-Pacific region,and searched for the greatest common divisor for the Asia-Pacific security and the greatest common divisor to maintain Asia-Pacific security.The participants were encouraged to put forward new views,new ideas and new prepositions,which made the seminar a feast of ideas and a grand academic occasion.