CBMs key to Asia-Pacific security
- By Cui Can
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E-mail China.org.cn, October 26, 2018
Enhancing military and security confidence-building measures (CBMs) plays a key role in maintaining regional security and development and safeguarding peace and stability, according to Admiral (Rtd.) Jayanath Colombage, former chief of the Sri Lankan Navy.
Now a strategist, he made the remark in Beijing on Oct. 25 in a brief interview while attending the 8th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, an important forum for security issues and defense affairs.
"It's necessary for countries that are very concerned about the security in this region to pay attention to CBMs," he said, adding that the forum was "a good opportunity for people from around the region to explain their concerns and to come up with new advices about how to strengthen security in the region."
The retired admiral pointed to misunderstandings that existed in the Asian region that were compromising the common interests and future development of the countries involved. However, with the help of CBMs, he hoped the whole region could enjoy huge prospects to work together to clear up mistrust so that we can have a win-win situation.
CBMs are actions designed to reduce the fear of attack between two or more parties in a situation of tension with or without physical conflict, and those being developed among countries in the Asia-Pacific region committed to the U.N. Charter, were aimed at achieving peace and security through dialogue and cooperation so that all states could co-exist and their peoples live in peace, freedom and prosperity, he said.
"We should think of the whole region as a community with shared interests as Chinese President Xi Jinping has said. China, as it develops its economy, recognizes that regional stability is essential to accomplishment of this goal."
He also mentioned that the Belt and Road Initiative played an important role in connecting the countries along the routes through trade, infrastructures building and economy, which would lead to their dependence on each other and a close security partnership in the future.
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