Over 60 eminent scholars, researchers and policy-makers from 25 Asian and European nations gathered Thursday in Beijing for a seminar to discuss security challenges facing the two continents and their cooperation.  

Co-organized by the China Institute of International Studies, a think-tank of China's Foreign Ministry, and the Asia-Europe Foundation, the only permanent organ of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the event will last two days.

As globalization develops, Asians and Europeans are no longer facing only traditional security threats but also unconventional ones, which need to be addressed notably through better dialogue on security between the two regions, said organizers.

They believed the convening of the multilateral conference is "important and timely", and its program is "most substantive."

The outcome of the conference will be presented to the ministries of foreign affairs, defense and home affairs of all 25 ASEM member countries, said the organizers, so as to enhance cooperation and communication on the issue between the two regions.

ASEM is an intergovernmental informal dialogue process launched in 1996, with the objective of strengthening relations between Asia and Europe in political, economic, cultural and social aspects.

(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2004)