16:28 GMT, April 6, 2010 The China-ASEAN Defense and Security Dialogue concluded in Beijing on March 31, 2010. “The Dialogue will play a positive role in promoting China-ASEAN defense and security cooperation,” said Guan Youfei, deputy director-general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense.

Guan Youfei said that the positive role was mainly embodied in three aspects. Firstly, the Dialogue enhanced the understanding and mutual trust in defense field between China and ASEAN member states. On the basis of the two China-ASEAN Senior Defense Scholars’ Dialogues in the past, this 2010 Dialogue increased its participants and invited defense officials from policy-making departments. Scholars, experts and defense officials had in-depth discussions during the Dialogue and enhanced mutual understanding and trust between them.

Secondly, China and ASEAN reached certain consensus on the judgment of regional security situation and threats in this Dialogue. Participants all agreed that intense adversarial relationship did not exist between China and ASEAN member states, and regarded the non-traditional security threats as the main threats confronted by the regional security. The consensus laid a common cognitive basis for deepening China-ASEAN security cooperation.

Thirdly, the Dialogue expressed the general will of China and ASEAN to further intensify the security cooperation. With the active official participation, this Dialogue has got a breakthrough in the idea exchange and policy discussion. Representatives from the ASEAN member states expressed their strong will to deepen the cooperation with China in such fields as disaster relief and anti-pirate, and work out effective measures and preplans together with China.

When it comes to the outlook of the Dialogue, Guan Youfei said that the future dialogue would develop in depth and width according to the requirements of the situation and the general will of China and ASEAN member states. Concretely, the level of the Dialogue might be raised and high-level officials might be arranged to attend the Dialogue on the current basis. The cooperation might be further intensified and workable cooperative measures will be worked out together by China and ASEAN member states.

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Lv Desheng / PLA Daily