Xi: Asian nations voice capacity of taking lead in solving Asian affairs

SHANGHAI, May 21 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that if Asian countries speak with a common voice, they have the capacity to solve Asian problems themselves.

Xi was speaking to reporters with President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, after a summit of Members of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

"Asian countries must collaborate with each other and work together," Xi said. Asian nations have the capacity to realize security in Asia by cooperating among themselves, he added.

The summit, gathering representatives from 47 countries and international organizations, mainly from Asia, concluded Wednesday afternoon.

Xi said the summit had "landmark significance", as members discussed Asia's most urgent security issues, and released a declaration after the summit.

Xi said countries must "completely abandon" the old security concepts, while advocating a new one pursuing cooperative and sustainable features, to create a security cooperation pattern of openness, equality and transparency.

With the advantage of promoting dialogue among different civilizations, the CICA should play a bigger role in Asian security, Xi said.

China will fulfill the mandate of CICA chair from 2014 to 2016 and work with other members to implement the consensus enshrined in the declaration and increase mutual trust and dialogue, he said.

China will promote a peaceful, stable and cooperative new Asia as the common goal of members for CICA's third decade, he said.

CICA was established in 1992 as a forum for dialogue and consultations and promotion of confidence building measures among its members on security and development in Asia, a land of great diversity

Xi said as long as members uphold the principles of dialogue, trust and collaboration, Asia will have a more promising prospect for peace and development.

Nazarbayev thanked China for successfully hosting the CICA summit in Shanghai, lifting the CICA to a new level.

Xi's Asia security concept has far-reaching significance and China's proposal to create a Silk Road economic belt provides important opportunities for countries along the route, Nazarbayev said.

With the joint efforts of China and other members, CICA will surely strengthen the dialogue, trust and cooperation among Asian countries and contribute to the peace, stability and prosperity in Asia, Nazarbayev said.

Davutoglu, who is the special envoy of Turkish president at the summit, said Turkey was glad to pass on the CICA presidency to China and believed China would exercise leadership and make important contributions to the development of CICA and Asian peace and stability.

China took over the CICA presidency from Turkey for 2014 to 2016 at the summit.