China leads the way on multilateral military co-op

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China leads the way on multilateral military co-op

By Pu Zhendong (China Daily) 08:45, August 29, 2013

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Beijing's increasing involvement in multilateral defense mechanisms is producing a new security concept for the Asia-Pacific, observers said on Wednesday, as Defense Minister Chang Wanquan attended the second ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus.

"Despite the Asia-Pacific being the most economically dynamic region in the world, its security structure is still dominated by the Cold War mentality," said Zhao Xiaozhuo, deputy director of the center on China-US defense relations at the PLA's Academy of Military Science.

"The mechanism will help regional countries to phase out old-fashioned bilateral military alliances, which usually target a third party, and set up a comprehensive, cooperative and common security structure," he added.

Chang, who just concluded a seven-day visit to the United States and Canada last week, is in Brunei for the meeting on Thursday.

He held talks with US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Wednesday, their second meeting this month.

Chang is also expected to meet with his counterparts from participating countries, including the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India.

Su Hao, a professor of Asia-Pacific studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said that China, as a large and influential country, has always supported ASEAN's role in leading regional cooperation frameworks, including the defense ministers' meeting, and has been actively seeking areas of common interest through dialogue.

"China's suggestions on maritime rescue, and security and peacekeeping issues for this year's conference have gained wide recognition," Su said. "In this way, China is playing an active and constructive role in a multilateral mechanism."

The defense ministers' meeting is by far the most inclusive and highest-profile regional defense and security mechanism. China has been participating in ASEAN's cooperation programs since 2010, in areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping operations, counterterrorism, offshore safety and military medicine.