President Xi says CICA meeting to contribute to regional peace

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping said the non-governmental forum of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) will contribute to regional peace and stability, and common prosperity.

The two-day meeting of the forum, which carries the theme "25 Years of CICA: for Asia's Security and Development," began Wednesday in Beijing, and the Chinese president sent a congratulatory letter to the forum's second meeting.

The non-governmental forum was established based on a proposal by Xi at the Shanghai Summit of the CICA in May 2014. The first meeting was held in May 2015, offering a new channel for publicizing CICA security concept and promoting regional security governance.

Xi said in the letter that the CICA, which celebrates its 25th anniversary of founding this year, has served the common expectations of Asian countries seeking security and development in the region.

Since holding the chair of the CICA in May 2014, China has made efforts to advocate and implement the common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable Asian security concept, and support the establishment of a new regional security and cooperation framework. China has also sought to expand the partner network and mobilize non-governmental entities to offer advice and suggestions.

According to China's Foreign Ministry, the second meeting was attended by around 300 former political leaders, scholars, experts, media professionals, NGO representatives and diplomatic envoys in China from member states, observer states, observer organizations of CICA and relevant regional countries.

The attendees will discuss topics such as seeking common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia; establishing security architecture tailored to Asia; and implementing a consensuses concerning the Belt and Road Initiative.