Qin Gang started the press conference with the following announcement:

The 4th Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit will be held in Shanghai, China from May 20 to 21 under the theme of increasing dialogue, mutual trust and collaboration to build a new Asia that is peaceful, stable and cooperative. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend and chair the Summit. Leaders or representatives of CICA member states and observer states, heads of relevant international organizations and guests will attend the Summit upon invitation.

Q: Please give us more details about the CICA Summit. How many countries and international organizations have confirmed their attendance? What is China's expectation for the Summit?

A: Up to now, among those who have received invitations, nearly 40 countries and international organizations will send delegations to the Summit, and 14 heads of state and government and 8 heads of international organizations have confirmed their attendance to the Summit. There is still time, and replies from those invited are still coming in. We will provide you with the latest information when the Summit draws near.

The overall situation in Asia is stable, with peace, cooperation and development as the mainstream of the region. However, we should also be keenly aware that the current international situation is volatile, the security condition in Asia is becoming more and more complex and challenges and threats posed by traditional and non-traditional security issues intertwine. How to pursue common development and prosperity through cooperation in a peaceful, secure and stable environment is a major question that all countries in the region are trying to answer and an aspiration shared by all the people living in the region.

CICA is the largest multilateral security forum in Asia that covers all sub-regions of Asia. Its member states differ in political systems, religions, cultures and development levels, and thus highly representative. A platform like this enables Asian countries to enhance dialogue and communication and jointly explore ways to safeguard and promote security in Asia, which is of great significance.

China will hold the chairmanship of CICA from 2014 to 2016. The CICA Summit will be held in China this year. We will fulfill our obligations as the host and increase dialogue and cooperation with all relevant parties to make the CICA Summit a substantive one where more consensus can be forged and fruitful results yielded. We hope to promote, in particular, a new concept of security in Asia during the Summit, featuring common security, comprehensive security, cooperative security and sustainable security, and discuss the building of a new framework of Asian security and cooperation.

We want to speak with one voice to the world: Asian countries should take the lead in dealing with Asian affairs, and Asian countries have the capacity and wisdom to safeguard and promote security in Asia through strengthened cooperation.

This Summit will be the largest gathering since the founding of CICA. We believe that with the concerted efforts of all parties, this Summit is sure to meet expectations and become a milestone in the history of the development of CICA and on the way toward Asian security and cooperation.

Q: The search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane is now focused on seabed. Will China join the search? Will China share with the Malaysian side relevant costs?

A: China will continue to take an active part in the search operation in the next phase. With regard to the specific questions that you have raised, we will stay in communication and coordination with the Malaysian and Australian sides.

Q: Please give us more details about the ongoing meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on China-India Border Affairs. Reports say that following the signing of the border defence cooperation agreement between China and India last year, China proposes to discuss about a code of conduct for border control. What is the proposal for and about?

A: The sixth meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on China-India Border Affairs was convened yesterday in Beijing, and will conclude tomorrow. Officials from departments concerned of the foreign ministries of China and India are presiding over the meeting. We will release information about the meeting till it is over.

Both China and India attach great importance to safeguarding peace and tranquility in the border areas. Over these years, to meet the needs of a growing China-India relationship and in light of the situation in the border areas, positive steps have been taken and important consensus reached over peace and tranquility in the border areas. Our efforts have yielded some positive results, including the signing of the border defence cooperation agreement. All these have helped boost mutual trust, maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas and promote the development of China-India relations. We are ready to work together with the Indian side to intensify consultation and cooperation on border affairs and strive to find more and better approaches to uphold peace and tranquility in the border areas.

Q: The DPRK reportedly conducted live-fire drills today in waters off the western coast of the Korean Peninsula on the DPRK side of the Northern Limit Line. What is China's comment?

A: We have noted relevant reports. Under the current circumstances, we hope that all parties concerned can do things that help ease the tension and contribute to peace and stability of the Peninsula.