The Ministry of National Defense told a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) forum in Beijing on Monday that their military cooperation does not threaten any countries or organizations.

"Military cooperation among the SCO member states and countries with SCO observer status is not meant to build a military alliance," Jia Xiaoning, deputy director-general of the ministry's foreign affairs office.

Delivering a speech at the SCO Defense and Security Forum, which opened yesterday, Jia said the SCO follows the principle of non-alliance and is open to the outside world.

"Such cooperation can only deepen the trust and friendship between SCO member states, observer countries and their armies," he said.

Jia said China advocates a new concept of security based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, which is "the footstone on which the SCO is founded.”

China holds that SCO member states and observer countries should play a leading role in regional cooperation, said Jia, "But we also believe that it is not necessary to exclude other countries and regions...We should keep coordination with other countries and regional cooperative mechanisms."

Nearly 30 military officers from Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran and India are attending the 10-day forum.

(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2005)