Full coverage: 5th CICA Foreign Ministers' Meeting

Full coverage: China’s Leaders

Foreign ministers and diplomats are meeting in Beijing for the fifth Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia. Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the meeting. He reviewed the development of the security situation in Asia, as well as the challenges that lie ahead. He also called for win-win cooperation that will benefit the whole of the continent. 

BEIJING, April 28, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the opening ceremony of the fifth foreign ministers' meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

A meeting aimed at deepening cooperation and promoting sustainable security in Asia. Maintaining peace and dialogue are the core elements this year, as Xi stressed.

“We have to stick to dialogue and negotiation, in accordance with international law, to resolve disputes peacefully. Use dialogue to add trust, solve disputes, and promote security,” Xi said.

Speaking of Asia’s vital role in maintaining and promoting global peace and stability, he called especially for Asian countries to work together to make good use of its existing mechanisms to strengthen its hand.  

“We need to stick to, and spread the traditions of the Asian way, where countries respect each other, negotiate and care about each others' interests. Strengthen coordination on all levels of the existing cooperation mechanisms. Find identical and similar goals to achieve practical outcomes by cooperation,” Xi said.

Xi also touched upon the South China Sea issue in his speech, saying it is a topic that gets a lot of focus. He said that such disputes should be addressed through direct and peaceful negotiations.

“I want to stress that China has always been advocating to maintain the peace and stability of South China Sea. We also firmly protect our sovereignty and other rights in the area. China also sticks to peaceful ways and negotiating directly with relevant parties to resolve disputes. And we are willing to join ASEAN countries to build a peaceful, friendly and cooperative South China Sea,” Xi said.

Xi also talked about other regional hot topics, including tensions on the Korean peninsula. He said that China has spared no efforts to push relevant parties to talk and negotiate with each other.

“We stick to the denuclearization of the Korea peninsula, stick to the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula, as well as solve problems through dialogue and negotiation. As one of the permanent members of the U.N. security council, China has been fully implementing relevant resolutions passed by the United Nations. As a close neighbor of the Korean peninsula, we will never allow war and turmoil, which will do no one any good,” Xi said. 

Others issues covered by the Chinese president include the reconstruction of Afghanistan, Iranian nuclear issues, and the Syrian crisis. Xi said China would like to work with other countries to create a future for Asia, one that will benefit the region and far beyond.