Cooperation ‘only choice to effectively tackle challenges’
China is holding the 2023 Conference of Global Public Security Forum from Tuesday to Thursday in Lianyungang, East China’s Jiangsu Province, under the theme of “One World, Common Security.”
Amid increasingly intense major power competition and escalating geopolitical conflict, and faced with constant conventional and unconventional security threats as well as the seriously lagging global security governance system, the interconnectivity, transnationality and diversity of security issues are more prominent, Chen Zhimin, chairman of main event organizer the China Association for Friendship, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
Chen noted that cooperation is the only choice to effectively tackle the difficulties and challenges that the world is facing today, and strengthening cooperation in the field of global public security has become an essential part of building a shared future for mankind.
The Global Security Initiative Concept Paper issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry in February states that China will support the Conference of Global Public Security Forum in Lianyungang, together with the China-Africa Peace and Security Forum, the Middle East Security Forum, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum and other dialogue platforms, to contribute to deepening exchanges and cooperation on security.
More than 500 law-enforcement officials, experts and scholars from some 50 countries and regions, including the UK, Thailand, Vietnam, South Africa and Saudi Arabia, and international organizations are attending the conference.
Senior officials with Interpol and the Lancang-Mekong Law Enforcement Center, as well as envoys from countries such as Russia, South Korea, Germany and France, have also come to attend the forum.
The Global Times reporter learned from the organizers that thanks to the initiative and promotion of the forum, a collaborative network for promoting security and development has been gradually established in recent years, and global public security cooperation mechanisms have been continuously improved.
Participating countries and organizations have strengthened exchanges and cooperation, reaching a significant consensus in combating cross-border crime, counter-terrorism, drug control, fugitive repatriation and other issues, achieving fruitful results.
The forum has proven to be an open, efficient, practical law enforcement innovation and communication platform that can better meet the needs of all parties for security and development, hailed Interpol Vice President Valdecy Urquisa.
Chinese police have been actively engaging in multilateral cooperation under the frameworks of the UN, Interpol, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ASEAN and other international organizations.
Chinese public security authorities have been sharing their experiences and ideas on building a “rule of law China” and a “safe China” and advocating for cooperation in law enforcement.
Chinese police have established regular contact and cooperation with law enforcement agencies of more than 110 countries through Interpol, and have established close and practical bilateral law enforcement cooperation mechanisms and hotlines.
They have signed more than 400 government-to-government and department-to-department law enforcement cooperation agreements. In scenic areas in China, Italy, Croatia, Serbia and other countries, Chinese and foreign police jointly patrol to create a safer environment for deepening the Belt and Road Initiative economic and trade cooperation and personnel exchanges.
In order to promote the balanced development of global public security governance capabilities, Chinese police have provided law enforcement training and education to more than 20,000 police officers from law enforcement departments from 116 countries, covering various fields and levels of law enforcement work.
Deputy Minister of Public Security of Laos Kongthong Phongvichith spoke highly of the forum by saying that it has become an important platform for the exchange of law enforcement and security cooperation among countries and has played an important role in promoting international multilateral law enforcement and maintaining world security order.
Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong is expected to attend the opening ceremony of the 2023 Conference of Global Public Security Forum on Wednesday to deliver a keynote speech.
And after the opening ceremony, representatives will carry out in-depth exchange and discussions at sub-sessions such as “Forecasting Global Security Outlook,” “Pooling Multilateral Synergy on Public Security,” “Enhancing Governance Capacity Building” and “Sharing Safe Development Fruits.”
Lianyungang hosted the first Conference of Global Public Security Forum in November 2022, during which representatives from 40 countries, regions and international organizations attended the conference through both online and offline means.
(Global Times)
