NANNING, May 15 -- An ongoing counter-terrorism meeting has called attention to cyber battles as extremist thought spreads on the Internet.

The 13th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) inter-sessional meeting on combating terrorism and cross-border crime opened Thursday in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Fanfan Infansyah, sub director of regional cooperation under Indonesia's National Counter Terrorism Agency, said multiple terror organizations have established bases in Indonesia, and that these terrorists are in contact with those in China, Turkey and Syria, etc.

He said battling cyber terrorism is an urgent task.

An official with China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said at the meeting that terrorists not only use the Internet to attack key information systems in the sector of finance, transportation and electricity, they also spread terrorist ideas, recruit staff and raise funds in the virtual world.

Representatives at the meeting said terrorists have begun to recruit young people with violent tendencies on the Internet, among whom many boast high degrees and advanced skills.

International anti-terrorism cooperation is facing several stumbling blocks, including low efficiency and different standards towards terrorism, according to meeting participants.

Experts at the meeting urged a consensus and to improve cooperation for government-led campaigns against terrorism.

Representatives from 17 ARF member countries, the ASEAN Secretariat and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime attended the meeting and exchanged views on anti-terrorism, drug control, hunting down fugitive suspects, combating cyber crime and border management.

They also discussed the draft of a 2015-2016 plan to crack down terrorism and cross-border crimes.

The meeting was sponsored by the MPS and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Thailand is the co-chair of the meeting.

The ARF, founded in 1994, is a key regional forum for security dialogue in Asia. It is composed of 27 countries including the 10 ASEAN member states and their dialogue partners.

After more than 20 years' development, the ARF has become Asia Pacific region's most inclusive and influential security dialogue and cooperation mechanism.

The meeting concludes on Friday.