Peaceful development vital to region

Remarks by Major General Ci Guowei, chief of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the Ministry of National Defense

It gives me great pleasure to discuss with you over the topic of "New Model of Defense Cooperation".

The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Peace and development remain the call of our times. People across the world are becoming members of a community of shared destiny with their interests and security intertwined. Chinese President Xi Jinping put forth the great vision of building new-type major country relations and a community with a shared future. The pursuit of peace, stability and development has become the universal aspiration of the international community. The force for peace grows much faster than the factors for war. However, hegemony, power politics and unilateralism flare up from time to time, exerting impact to the international security system and order. The Asia-Pacific region, where we survive and thrive, is home to many hotspots and sensitive issues. Challenges from discord for ethnic and religious reasons, terrorism, transnational crime and major natural disasters, and risks in environmental, cyber, energy and resource security are on a notable rise. Security issues are extending in both its implication and forms. Therefore, it is important to further extend military exchange and cooperation, and explore new models of defense cooperation with a view to maintaining regional and international peace and stability.