Eliminating new security threats, as a task encountered by all countries, requires the international community to strengthen security dialogue and cooperation, said experts at a symposium in Beijing on Wednesday.

Helmut Kohl, the former chancellor of Germany, said that many nations face security threats from economic and financial crisis, infectious diseases, terrorism, famine and environmental pollution.

"No one country can solve these issues on its own, therefore it is necessary for us to conduct international cooperation to cope with nontraditional security challenges," Kohl said, praising China's efforts in taking an active part in it.

The Ministry of Public Security has established relations with 116 countries' police departments, dispatched police liaison officers to 14 countries, joined over 60 international and multilateral organizations, and sent 530 civil police to participate in UN peacekeeping missions.

China is also involved in non-traditional security cooperation mechanisms involving the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, South Korea and Japan.

Xiong Guangkai, chairman of the China Institute for International Strategic Studies (CIISS), said that although quite a lot progress has been achieved in issues such as counter-terrorism, epidemic diseases, disaster prevention and relief and fighting transnational crime, these complex issues can not be solved in a short time and still endanger peace and development.

"Faced with various non-traditional security threats, actions by a single country stand no chance and international cooperation remains the only powerful and effective instrument," Xiong said.

Meng Hongwei, public security vice minister, said countries have common interests and responsibilities in dealing with nontraditional security issues.

The UN, particularly the Security Council, should play a leading role in coping with such threats, said Meng, but all countries should make joint efforts to build a stable and secure international environment, in line with the spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, as well as basic principles of international law and relations.

The two day-long symposium is cosponsored by the CIISS and the Hotung Institute for International Relations, and is attended by 60 officials, experts and scholars from 17 countries in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania.

(Xinhua News Agency June 23, 2005)