The current tasks

In today's trend towards globalization, the gradual development of a peaceful environment should have been a natural process. Instead, we are seeing a sharp return to imbalance, conflict and crisis. There are several reasons for this.

First, ideological aspects increasingly dominate transfers of power. For example, the "new cold war" neo-conservative clarion call many years ago has re-emerged with the Ukraine crisis.

Second, we are being bombarded by all sorts of "predicted futures", with the help of modern information. For example, they tend to exaggerate the threat to traditional hegemonies from newly developing countries. They purposely intensify the Asian security situation by using fictional public opinion images.

This only benefits the arms industry, which is taking advantage of the current situation to seek profits and turn Asia into the world's fastest growing arsenal.

Such a situation is ideal for the emergence of extremist forces involved in terrorism, separatism, religious extremism and radicalism, as we can see in the Ukraine, in the Middle East and in parts of Asia.

Against such a background, CICA, sponsored by the Asian countries themselves and involving participation by representatives reflecting the Eurasian region's political, economic, social and cultural diversity, have a great responsibility to reverse these trends.

CICA should obviously perform as a high-level political publicity forum to maintain regional and world peace, promote harmony and trust today and for a long time to come. The leaders of the countries involved must take this opportunity to develop the broadest and deepest possible exchanges and communication on security issues.

They should dispel doubts and increase trust. It is an excellent opportunity for them to build a security framework focusing on Asia's future.

The author is Dean of the School of Advanced International and Area Studies (SAIAS), East China Normal University.

This article was translated by Li Jingrong. Its original unabridged version was published in Chinese.

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