World Peace Forum Held
The World Peace Forum 2012 was held from July 7 to 8. Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping addressed the World Peace Forum with a call for all nations to make concerted efforts to tackle challenges in regional security and create harmony and stability around the world.
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping addresses the Opening Ceremony of the World Peace Forum in Beijing, July 7, 2012.
The forum was also attended by many former foreign leaders including former Peruvian President Alan Garcia, former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi, former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, former Secretary of the Russian Security Council Igor Ivanov and former EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Minister of Education Yuan Guiren, President of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs Yang Wenchang, Honorary President of the China Institute for International Strategic Studies Xiong Guangkai, Tsinghua Univeristy President Chen Jining, Tsinghua University Council Chairman Hu Heping, Tsinghua University Vice Chairperson Chen Xu, Tsinghua Vice President Xie Weihe, Tsinghua Vice President Yuan Si, Tsinghua University Council Vice Chairperson Shi Zongkai, Tsinghua University Council Vice Chairperson Deng Wei, and Tsinghua University Vice President Qiu Yong attended the forum.
"Faced with complicated and multiple security challenges, no country can easily stay out without being affected, or achieve so-called 'absolute security' single-handedly," Xi said at the event's opening ceremony.
All countries in the world should be cooperative, innovative and responsible and make joint efforts in pursuit of a win-win situation, he argued.
Xi proposed that international security should be achieved through common development, equality, mutual trust, dialogue and cooperation, and innovation in security on the world stage.
The vice president said zero-sum mentalities should be abandoned and nations should establish a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation and foster the notion of universal, common and cooperative security.
"We should make efforts to seek new answers to old questions and good answers to new questions to keep resolving development problems and security dilemmas that human beings are faced with," he added.
During his speech, Xi said China is pursuing development characterized by peace, openness and cooperation, and that "practice has proved that China has become an active participant and constructive force in contributing to the international system."
China, with its sustained and quick development, has benefited from peace in most areas of the world, and its development has also provided precious opportunities for all other nations, according to the leader.
"China will keep adhering to the path of peaceful development, make efforts to establish a new-type relationship between major powers, firmly safeguard peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and undertake our due international responsibilities and obligations," he vowed.
Prior to the opening ceremony, Xi met with forum delegates including former Peruvian President Alan Garcia, former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi, former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, former Secretary of the Russian Security Council Igor Ivanov and former EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana.
Themed "Win-Win for All: Peace, Security, Cooperation" and organized by Tsinghua University, the World Peace Forum is the first non-governmental high-level forum on international security held in China.
(Photo by Yu Zhifei)
