China Issues White Paper On Asia—Pacific Security Cooperation

China on Jan. 11 issued a white paper on policies related to Asia-Pacific security cooperation， which also clarified the nation's stance on issues of regional concern.

The white paper， China's Policies on Asia-Pacific Security Cooperation， was released by the State Council Information Office.

China is prepared to take on greater responsibilities for regional and global security， and provide more public security services to the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large， it said.

Outlining China's concept of common， comprehensive， cooperative and sustainable security， the white paper explained the Chinese approach to achieving peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

The policy package includes the promotion of common development， the building of partnerships， improvement of existing multilateral frameworks， rule-setting； military exchanges and proper settlement of differences.

\"China is a staunch force in Asia-Pacific security， and its policies are particularly relevant as Asia-Pacific is the only enviable， tranquil place in the world if you take into account of Brexit， refugees， populism， terrorist attacks， Syria and uncertain U.S. domestic politics，\" said Liu Qing with the China Institute of International Studies.

Noting the role that major countries in the region play in maintaining peace and development， the white paper urged them to reject the Cold War mentality， respect others' legitimate interests and concerns and to pursue positive interactions.

\"Small- and medium-sized countries need not and should not take sides among big countries，\" the white paper said.

China supports the creation of international and regional rules set through discussion with all countries concerned rather than being dictated by any particular country.

Rules of individual countries should not automatically become \"international rules，\" and countries should not be allowed to violate the lawful rights and interests of others under the pretext of rule of law， according to the white paper.

\"China has contributed to generally stable relations among major countries in the region by maintaining positive interactions with the United States， Russia， India and improving ties with Japan，\" Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said at a briefing on the white paper.

China will work with the new U.S. administration on Asia-Pacific affairs to preserve peace， stability and prosperity in the region， Liu said.

The white paper said China will increase military exchanges and cooperation， which would support peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. China will build a strong national defence force that is commensurate with China's international standing.

\"Its security and development interests is a strategic task in China's modernization drive， and provides a strong guarantee for its peaceful development. China's armed forces support the country's development and contribute to the maintenance of world peace and regional stability，\" the white paper said.

The military is at the center of security and China's participation in escort missions， the U.S.-led RIMPAC naval exercises and military drills with Russia and ASEAN members has strengthened political trust with other countries， said Liu Qing.

On issues of regional concern， China has actively pushed for peaceful solutions as a responsible major country.

China remains committed to resolving disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation and upholding peace and stability as well as freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea， the white paper said.

It said China and ASEAN continue to maintain communication and dialogue on the South China Sea issue， strengthening pragmatic maritime cooperation and steadily advancing consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

China， it was added， may \"make the necessary response\" to provocative action that infringes on its territorial sovereignty， maritime rights and interests， or behavior that undermines peace and stability in the South China Sea.

China will continue to work with the international community and strive for denuclearization and long-term peace and stability of the peninsula and of Northeast Asia as a whole.

China calls for \"discretion\" by the United States and the Republic of Korea （ROK） in the deployment of the THAAD missile system in the ROK， which is detrimental to strategic stability， mutual trust and the strategic security interests of China and other countries.

\"China strongly urges the U.S. and the ROK to stop this process，\" the white paper said.

（Source： Xinhua）

Excerpts from China's Policies on Asia-Pacific Security Cooperation

China's Participation in Major Multilateral

Mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific Region

China-ASEAN Cooperation

China regards ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy， and firmly supports ASEAN's integration and community building as well as its centrality in regional cooperation.

In 2015， the China-ASEAN Defence Ministers' Informal Meeting was held in China for the first time. In November of the same year， the two sides signed the Protocol to Amend the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Certain Agreements Thereunder Between China and ASEAN， which marked the conclusion of the negotiations on an upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.

The year 2016 sees the 25th anniversary of the China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations and the Year of China-ASEAN Educational Exchanges. On September 7， the 19th China-ASEAN Summit to Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations was held in Vientiane， Laos. A series of commemoration events have been hosted， including the Reception in Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations， the Ninth China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week， the Second China-ASEAN Governors/Mayors Dialogue， the International Conference to Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations and China-ASEAN Week.

ASEAN Plus Three （APT） Cooperation

ASEAN Plus Three （APT） cooperation is the main vehicle for East Asia cooperation.

On September 7， 2016 the 19th ASEAN Plus Three Summit was held in Vientiane， Laos， during which Premier Li Keqiang made six proposals on enhancing APT cooperation： to reinforce financial security cooperation， to expand trade and investment cooperation， to promote agricultural and poverty reduction cooperation， to increase the level of connectivity， to create new models for industrial cooperation， and to expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

ASEAN Regional Forum （ARF）

The ARF has become an influential and inclusive platform for official multilateral security dialogue and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

On July 26， 2016 the 23rd ARF Ministerial Meeting was held in Vientiane， Laos.

China has actively led practical cooperation within the framework of the ARF. Since 2015 it has hosted the Workshop on Cyber Security Capacity Building， the Third ARF Workshop on Space Security， ARF Seminar on Maritime Risk Management and Cooperation， the ARF Workshop on Marine Oil Spill Emergency Response and Management and Disposal Cooperation， the ARF Workshop on Strengthening Management of Cross-Border Movement of Criminals， the ARF Workshop on Green Shipping， and the ARF Workshop on Urban Emergency Rescue.

ASEAN Defence Ministers’

Meeting Plus （ADMM-Plus）

The ADMM-Plus is the highest-level and largest defence and security dialogue and cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region. It has played a vital role in enhancing mutual trust and promoting pragmatic cooperation among the defence ministries and armed forces of all parties.

In 2016， the Chinese military participated in the ADMM-Plus peacekeeping and demining joint exercise in India and the maritime security and counter-terrorism exercises in Brunei and Singapore. From 2017 to 2020， China and Thailand will co-chair the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Counter-terrorism.

Lancang-Mekong Cooperation （LMC）

The establishment of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation （LMC） framework was an important initiative put forward by Premier Li Keqiang at the 17th China-ASEAN Summit in November 2014. This initiative aims to enhance good-neighborliness and friendship among the six countries along the Lancang-Mekong River through pragmatic cooperation， promote sub-regional economic and social development， and forge a community of shared future for solidarity， mutual assistance， even-handed consultation， shared benefits and mutually beneficial cooperation in the sub-region. The LMC framework has China， Cambodia， Laos， Myanmar， Thailand and Vietnam as its members.

On March 23， 2016 the First LMC Leaders’ Meeting was held in Sanya， in China’s Hainan Province， officially launching the LMC framework. Leaders of the six countries reviewed past progress， shared their vision for the future of the LMC， and agreed to coordinate their strategies for development， make overall planning of their cooperation resources， share the benefits of development， and build a community of shared future among the Lancang-Mekong countries.