Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 15 attended the 5th summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and delivered a speech titled Working Together for New Progress of Security and Development in Asia.

In the speech, Xi responded to profound topics such as the building of Asia and China’s future efforts, pointing a clear direction for the future development of CICA, as well as the peace and development of Asia and the world under current circumstances.

China, a founding member of CICA, has always taken an active part in forwarding the CICA process.

When the 4th summit of CICA was held in Shanghai in May 2014, President Xi articulated a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and called for a security and development path that suits Asia and serves the common interests of all, receiving active response from relevant parties.

China assumed the chairmanship of CICA from 2014 to 2018, during which it broadened the approach and content of cooperation, set up a Non-governmental Forum, Youth Council and Business Council under the CICA framework, and enhanced CICA’s interaction with other multilateral institutions such as the UN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, giving a considerable boost to CICA’s global standing.

Under joint efforts, CICA released its cooperation potential and gradually deepened general cooperation, prominently improving its participation and existence in global and regional affairs. It has become Asia’s largest and most representative security forum with the greatest number of participants, playing an active and constructive role in advancing regional stability and prosperity.

Asia is one of the most dynamic regions with great development potential. Asian countries also face some common challenges such as inadequate political trust, uneven economic development and prominent security and governance impediments. Its journey to lasting peace and common prosperity will be a long and arduous one.

How will Asian countries stay true to their goal, embrace the opportunities and address the challenges together, and collectively work for new progress of security and development in Asia?

President Xi made statements at the Dushanbe summit that “Building an Asia where countries enjoy mutual respect and trust is our common aspiration”, “Building a secure and stable Asia is our common objective”, “Building a growing and prosperous Asia is our common vision”, “Building an open and inclusive Asia is our common pursuit”, and “Building a cooperative and creative Asia is our common need”.

His remarks reflected the strong desire and common aspiration of the Asian people for peace, stability and development, providing a guiding vision for the solutions to the common challenges faced by Asia.

China champions and firmly observes the Asian security concept. For a long time, it has been enhancing dialogues and cooperation with each party step by step, and jointly exploring the making of a code of conduct for regional security and Asian security partnership plan, making Asian countries good partners of mutual trust and equal cooperation.

China is committed to developing good-neighborly and friendly ties with other Asian countries. China has participated in the establishment of such multilateral security and development mechanisms as CICA, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and supported the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the League of Arab States and other organizations in playing their active roles, thus making an important contribution to stability and prosperity in Asia.

“China will continue to build peace, contribute to development and uphold order in the world, and work for a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind.” As a member of the Asian family and a responsible major country in the global community, China once again made its solemn promise at the Dushanbe summit.

China will stay committed to peaceful development and reject a beggar-thy-neighbor approach, stay committed to opening-up for win-win outcomes and share development opportunities with other countries, and stay committed to practicing multilateralism to safeguard the international order underpinned by international law.

It demonstrated China’s sense of responsibility to observe the Asian security concept under new circumstances, and also sincere actions to promote the building of an Asian community with a shared future.

The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Peace and development are the general trend in today’s Asia, and development and prosperity conforms to people’s aspiration. Taking the Dushanbe summit as a new starting point, China will work with relevant countries to take the CICA process to a new level, achieve new development, and join hands in a tireless pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity and usher in a brighter future for Asia and beyond.