By Xing Yang and Cheng Anqi
GUANGZHOU, June 26 -- The 2nd China-ASEAN Defense Think Tank Exchange kicked off in Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province, on Tuesday. More than 70 defense policy officers, experts and scholars from China, the 10 ASEAN countries, and Timor-Leste conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as deepening mutual trust and cooperation between China and ASEAN countries and solving international and regional security problems.
The exchange was hosted by Academy of Military Sciences of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and organized by Jinan University, with the theme of "Peace Cooperation Shared Future". During the event, representatives of all parties exchanged views and shared ideas on topics such as "Working together to create a peaceful environment for development and prosperity", "ASEAN's centrality and regional security", "Deepening defense and security cooperation: the role of defense think tanks", "Promoting security governance in Southeast Asia", and "Fostering sustainable security: the contribution of the military".
At the opening ceremony, the Chinese representatives put forward three proposals. First, building a China-ASEAN defense think tank exchange platform with greater policy influence. Second, creating a China-ASEAN defense think tank brand with a greater say in international discourse. Third, developing a China-ASEAN defense think tank cooperation network that operates on a regular basis.
It is reported that the China-ASEAN Defense Think Tank Exchange is a concrete measure for China to implement the outcomes of the China-ASEAN Defense Ministers' Informal Meeting. The event aims to continuously enhance understanding and mutual trust and facilitate the building of a China-ASEAN community with a shared future.