Commandant Lt. General Chahal,
Faculty members and Students,

It is a great pleasure for me to be here in the college again. Now I'd like to take this opportunity to bring you up to date on China's views and positions on international security situation.

Part I. Our Views on the International Security Situation

The international security situation remains worrying. The war in Iraq is over, but the conflict there is still going on. The Middle East impasse drags on, and bloodshed continues unabated. Terrorism remains rampant and unpredictable. Globalization has not made everyone a winner, and in the fields of finance, information, health and others, there exist hidden security threats. The international security situation is indeed undergoing a complicated and profound transformation.

Firstly, security threats have taken on multiple dimensions. Traditional security concerns such as ethnic or religious conflicts and border or territorial disputes still exist, while non-traditional security threats are quickly growing. Non-traditional security problems such as terrorism, cross-border crimes, environmental pollution, population explosion, drug trafficking and infectious diseases have become the major problems impeding the human development. The interweaving and mutual conversion between the two kinds of security issues has brought new challenges to the international peace and security.

Secondly, security threats have a complex nature. Non-traditional security threats have complicated causes and diverse manifestations. Terrorists go after their goals through violence and their activities are becoming more secretive, and means more brutal. The use of biological, chemical, cyberspace and other high-tech means makes terrorists more and more dangerous. As such, the security issue has spilt over to a wide range of areas of politics, economy, military, finance, science and technology.

Thirdly, security threats have obtained global proportions. Today, with the deepening of globalization, countries are more interdependent.  Security is no longer a local issue bearing on individual countries or regions, but a global one that threatens to impede peace and development of the world. No country can keep itself out. As a Chinese old saying goes, no individual can simply "clean the snow on his own doorsteps while turning a blind eye to his neighbors".

We are living in an interdependent world. Our common interests and common challenges have put us in a same boat. No peace and security can be achieved unless the international community joins hands in cooperation. 

Part II. New Security Concept is Called for

New realities and new challenge call for new thinking. They require countries to go beyond stereotyped mindsets and meet those challenges with concerted efforts. To discern the security issues faced by humanity, to seek more effective ways to achieve lasting peace and universal security, we must command a broader prospect. In our view, without new thinking, security can scarcely be guaranteed. That is why we espouse a new security concept, which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation.

By mutual trust, we mean that countries should rise above their differing ideologies and social systems, abandon the Cold-War mentality and power-politics mindset, and refrain from misgivings and hostility against each other. Instead, they should go in for frequent dialogues and briefings on their security and defense policies or major actions they are about to take.

By mutual benefit, we mean that a country, in keeping with objective requirements of the unfolding globalization, should respect the security interests of others while pursuing the interests of its own, help create conditions for the better security of others while making itself more secure, thus achieving universal security.

By equality, we mean that every country, big or small, strong or weak, is a member of the international community. Countries should respect each other, treat each other as equals and refrain from interfering in each other's internal affairs, so that international relations will become more democratized.

By cooperation, we mean that countries should resolve their disputes through peaceful negotiations, carry out extensive and deep-going cooperation on their shared security concerns, help eliminate hidden dangers, and prevent the outbreak of wars and conflicts.

The aim of our new security concept is to enhance mutual trust through dialogue, and to promote common security through cooperation. The international community should reach a broad consensus thereon at first, and then, on this basis, jointly tackle the major security concerns of the day through the efforts in the following fields:

A. To facilitate the elimination of hotspots from the surface of our planet through dialogue and reconciliation.

One year ago, the war in Iraq broke out. Since then, the situation in Iraq has been turbulent, and the unabated attacks and explosions brought about great casualties, for which China is deeply worried. Our considerations on resolving the Iraqi Issue are that any resolution should be in favor of the fundamental interests of the Iraqi people and maintaining long-term peace and stability in the Middle East and the Gulf Region in particular. Therefore, with a view to restore security and peace in Iraq at an early stage, we hold that: First, power should be returned to the Iraqi people to ensure that they are the masters of the country, They should run the country on their own and begin their reconstruction efforts as soon as possible; Second, it is common aspiration of the international community that the independence, unity and territorial integrity of Iraq should be maintained and the Iraqi sovereignty be respected. We hope that stability could be restored in Iraq and reconstruction be conducted so that Iraqi people could live in peace and stability.

We are deeply concerned about rising violence in Israel-Palestine conflict. China supports the Palestinian people in their just cause to regain legitimate national rights and establish their own state. We support the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the principle of land for peace.  We are opposed to violence targeted at innocent civilians and reject trading violence with violence. Both the Palestinian and the Israeli people have the right to live in peace, and genuine security can only be achieved through peaceful coexistence.

We stand that the maintenance of peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula is of great significance for the regional and international peace. It is our view that the Peninsula should be free of nuclear weapons, peace and stability be maintained, and the issue be solved through peaceful talks. With the joint efforts of the parties concerned, the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsular, embarking on the track of the peaceful resolution through dialogue, has witnessed two rounds of six-party talks in Beijing, and the Peninsular situation has been eased after a spell of tension. It is our hope that, in line with the spirit of the mutual respect and consultation on an equal footing, all parties concerned could narrow differences, expand consensus and build mutual trust to look for an early resolution of the nuclear issue through dialogue and achieve lasting peace in the Peninsular. The Chinese side will, as always, play an active role in maintaining peace and stability in the Peninsular.

We rejoice at the positive developments in Afghanistan over the past year or so.  China is ready to join the international community in working constructively for lasting peace in Afghanistan and its post-war rehabilitation.  We support the UN in playing its important role in this regard.

We are happy to see that India and Pakistan, who started the peace process last April, have implemented ceasefire along the LoC in Kashmir and resumed the foreign secretary-level dialogue. As the common neighbor and friend of the two countries, China sincerely hopes that the two countries could coexist peacefully, develop in concert and address all disputes including Jammu and Kashmir through peaceful negotiations.

B. To further promote international cooperation in combating terrorism.

China opposes terrorism in all its manifestations. Terrorism endangers lives, dignity and safety of innocent people. To serve the shared interests of the people of all countries and enhance the common security of all nations, the international community should adopt a concurrent stance rather than double standards in combating terrorism, whichever form it takes, wherever and whenever it appears, and whomever it targets.

China is among the victims of terrorism. The "East Turkistan" separatist forces committed numerous terrorist activities in Chinese territory. They have been trained, armed and funded by international terrorist groups, Al Qaeda in particular, for a long time. The fight against "East Turkistan" separatist forces is part and parcel of international campaign against terrorism.

In fighting terrorism, the leading role of the UN and its Security Council must be given full play, and all the actions taken in this field should be in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and other established norms of international law. The combat against terrorism calls for conclusive evidence and clear targets so that lives of the innocent can be spared, and arbitrary enlargement of the scope of strike must be avoided.

To wipe out terrorism, we must address its symptoms as well as its root causes, and combine short-term goals with long-term approaches. Solution to the problem of underdevelopment and reduction of the North-South gap is an imperative to serve this purpose.

Anti-terrorism campaign is a contest between peace and violence rather than conflict between nationalities, religions or civilizations. As terrorism is committed by very few extremist elements, we shall in no way confuse it with any specific nation or religion.

C. To strengthen exchanges and dialogues among different civilizations and keep them from coming into conflict or confrontation.

Our world is home to rich, colorful and diverse civilizations, which differ from one another. And such diversity is a basic characteristic of humanity.  To ignore this objective fact, or to stir up hatred and confrontation among different civilizations is inconsistent with the requirements of our times for peace and development.  Trying to impose on the world only one ideology and one culture while denying the unique traditions and independent choices of various countries runs counter to the tide of democratization of international relations.

Different civilizations do not cause conflicts in the world, rather, they provide a starting point for a more integrated global village.  Mankind has come a long way in getting to know itself and the planet it inhabits.  We have every reason to treat the achievements of the various civilizations kindly with an open mind and a broad vision, and promote exchanges among them on the basis of respect for diversity.  Let exclusion be replaced by tolerance, confrontation by dialogue, conflict by integration.  Every one is encouraged to draw upon the strength of others with a view to realizing common development.  This, in our view, is the only way to a peaceful and tranquil world, a way that gives all human civilizations a more rewarding future.

Part III. China's Foreign Policy

The Chinese nation has cherished the culture of good neighborliness and harmony since ancient times. There was no record of hegemony and invasion in China's history. The basic philosophy of China's foreign relations has emphasized give-more-and-take-less, virtue and benevolence. Despite compounded disasters and humiliation in the modern times, the Chinese people have always loved peace, valued peace and been firmly committed to the maintenance of peace in the region as well as the world.

China has consistently pursued an independent foreign policy of peace. It will continue to hold on to its solemn pledge of never seeking hegemony, joining any military bloc or seeking its sphere of influence. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China engages itself in international and regional affairs in a proactive manner, and has made positive contribution to the preservation and promotion of peace and stability in the world.

In dealing with its neighboring countries, China persists in establishing and cementing good-neighborly relationship and partnership with all of them. This is our solemn pledge and we have delivered on it. China enjoys good relations and cooperation with all our neighbors. China has made unremitting efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts in the region, and it has dynamically participated in and promoted various multilateral cooperation in Asia. We have proposed the foreign policy of developing relations with the neighboring countries based on "harmony, security and prosperity", and pushed forward the sound development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and "10 + 3" mechanism in East Asia.
 
Based on the new security concept, China's security policy is aimed, first and foremost, at safeguarding its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and it is also designed to ensuring a stable international environment and a favorable peripheral environment in the interests of our economic development. The policy objectives are at three levels: first, to help maintain China's own stability and development; second, to preserve peace and stability in the region where we live; third, to promote dialogue and cooperation in international security. In addition to safeguarding sovereignty and ensuring a favorable environment for domestic development, we stress the following qualities: peacefulness in foreign policy, defensiveness in military strategy, cooperativeness in international security, and recognition of and respect for the diversity of the world.

It is also in the spirit of the new security concept that China has been pushing hard for the configuration of mechanism for regional security dialogue and cooperation, and endeavoring with other actors in the region for the establishment of an Asia-Pacific security framework geared to dialogue rather than confrontation. We actively promoted the formation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have concluded the SCO Charter, the agreement on Counter-terrorism and other important documents. Aside from intensifying security cooperation, the countries are going in for economic cooperation in an incremental manner.

We have contributed a lot to East Asian regional cooperation, and have helped bring about new breakthroughs in the 10-plus-1 and 10-plus-3 mechanisms. China has proclaimed the establishment of "Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity" with ASEAN, and formally acceded to the "Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia". On the economic front, China has signed a framework agreement on all-round economic cooperation and kicked off the process of establishing a free trade area with ASEAN. On the political front, China and ASEAN signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" to further stabilize the situation in South China Sea. On the security front, the "Joint Declaration on Cooperation in Non-traditional Security Field" starts anti-terrorism cooperation between China and ASEAN and expands the scope of cooperation between the two sides.

China further develops its relations with big countries. Sino-US relations maintain good momentum of stable development with the enhancing of the cooperation foundation and the expanding of cooperation area, and the leaders of the two countries keep close communications and contacts. The two countries are conducting effective coordination and cooperation in anti-terrorism and trade as well as major international and regional issues.

China and Russia continue deepening the strategic relationship of cooperation. We have signed "Sino-Russian Good Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation" and resolved the boundary question left over from history through negotiations. Consistently deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, the two countries have carried out mutual cooperation and support in international affairs.

While jointly committed to the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership, China and Europe simultaneously released their respective policy papers towards the bilateral relations last year. This is the product of three decades' development of the bilateral relations after the establishment of diplomatic relations, and shows the common aspiration of two sides to strengthen the Sino-European relations.

Meanwhile, China further strengthens its cooperation with developing countries. We contributed to the success of the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of Sino-African Cooperation Forum and established with the League of Arab States the Forum on China-Arabic Cooperation.

It is once again in the spirit of the new security concept that China consistently opposes the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and its delivery system. As a signatory country to a series of international non-proliferation treaties such as the "Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons", "Biological Weapons Convention" and "Chemical Weapons Convention", China is in strict compliance with the obligations under the treaties. It is supportive of and actively involved in the international endeavor to bolster and strengthen the global non-proliferation regime.

Part IV. Sino-Indian Relations

Chinese and Indian people enjoy a time-honored friendship. China and India are both major Asian countries. We hope to see preservation and development of sound and durable relations between China and India. We hope to see enhancement of coordination and cooperation between the two countries in international affairs, including security issues, because its implications for preserving and promoting peace and security in Asia and the world are immeasurable.

As the two largest developing countries in the world, China and India have extensive common interests in international political and economic affairs. Both of us favor a multi-polar world. We hold identical or similar positions on many major issues. We can cooperate in a wide range of international affairs. Faced with the arduous task of modernizing our countries and improving the livelihood of our people, we, as two neighboring countries, need a peaceful and stable surrounding environment. Our national conditions are similar; both countries are undergoing comprehensive economic reforms. This makes it not only possible and but also necessary for us to learn from and draw upon each other's success story in various fields.

The official visit to China by the Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee last June is a complete success. The visit has further strengthened our mutual trust, deepened the communication and cooperation in various fields, and further promoted the development of the Sino-Indian constructive and cooperative partnership. We signed the "Declaration on Principles for Relations and Comprehensive Cooperation Between China and India", decided to set up the mechanism of the Special Representatives on the boundary question and started the process of the settlement of the Sikkim question. Besides, during the visit, the two governments signed 10 documents of cooperation in various fields. Last year also witnessed several bilateral meetings of the leaders of the two countries on the sideline of multilateral activities, through which mutual understanding was further enhanced. It is worthy to be noted that our defense relationship has also been strengthened. The visit to China by the Indian Defense Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, last April deepened the mutual understanding and expanded cooperation. The two navies carried out the joint exercise on searching and rescue last November. Mr. Cao Gangchuan, Defense Minister of China, just concluded his India visit last month. Likewise, his visit has proved very successful.

On the basis of the signed agreements and consensus reached between leaders of the two countries, China and India have maintained peace and tranquility in border areas with our joint efforts. The two Special Representatives on the China-India boundary question, appointed by prime ministers of the two countries during Mr. Vajpayee's visit to China last year, have held two rounds of talks and had positive discussions on the framework of principles for solving the boundary question. The third round of talks will soon be held in New Delhi. I believe that there would be more progress towards mutually acceptable principles for the settlement of the boundary question.

As its close neighbour, China hopes to see a developed, prosperous and strong India. We share your delight in your achievements in various fields; we appreciate your efforts in safeguarding the rights and interests of developing countries; and we are happy to see you are playing a greater and more active role in international and regional affairs. China and India pose no threat to each other. Instead, we share important responsibilities for peace and security in the world as well as in Asia. As a responsible member of the international community, China is willing to work with other countries including India in security and other international affairs with a view to ushering in a world of lasting peace and universal security.

Thank you.

(Chinese Embassy in India)