11th Meeting of the CICA Think Tank Forum held in Qinghai

The 11th Meeting of the CICA (Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia) Think Tank Forum took place in Xining, the capital city of Qinghai province in northwest China, from Aug. 28 to 29.

Under the supervision of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS) and the Foreign Affairs Office of Qinghai province co-organized the event.

The 11th Meeting of the CICA Think Tank Forum commenced in Xining, the capital city of northwest China's Qinghai province, on Aug. 28, 2023. [Photo courtesy of SIIS]

The theme, "Building an Asia of Mutual Learning and Win-Win Cooperation: The Role and Mission of CICA," saw the assembly of over 50 experts and diplomatic envoys from nearly 20 CICA member countries. The attendees delved into issues related to security and development in Asia.

Chen Dongxiao, president of SIIS, led the opening ceremony. Speeches were delivered by Wang Haihong, vice governor of Qinghai province; Kairat Sarybay, secretary general of CICA; Shakhrat Nuryshev, ambassador of Kazakhstan to China; Sobirzoda Shukhrat Gulmakhmad, deputy secretary general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization; and Counsellor Cheng Wei from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Chen Dongxiao, president of SIIS, officiated the opening ceremony of the 11th Meeting of the CICA Think Tank Forum in Xining, the capital city of Qinghai province in northwest China, on Aug. 28, 2023. [Photo courtesy of SIIS]

On the afternoon of Aug. 28, participants engaged in a thorough discussion on "Mutual Learning among Civilizations and the Path to Coexistence among CICA Member States," proposing multiple strategies to foster mutual understanding between civilizations.

On Aug. 29, discussions revolved around "Security, Stability, and Win-Win Cooperation among CICA Member States" and "CICA as an International Organization: Mechanism Building and Concept Innovation." Participants shared insights on development challenges faced by Asian countries and proposed strategies to evolve CICA into an international organization.

CICA, boasting 28 member states and representing nearly half of the global population, stands as the largest regional intergovernmental forum in Asia dedicated to bolstering cooperation for peace and security.

Participants of the 11th Meeting of the CICA Think Tank Forum in a group photo in Xining, the capital city of Qinghai province, on Aug. 28, 2023. [Photo courtesy of SIIS]