BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese defense experts on Thursday reaffirmed the Chinese military's commitment to upholding peace and regional stability.

They expressed this to reporters from 26 domestic and overseas media institutions during a press event held at the International College of Defense Studies (ICDS) at the National Defense University (NDU) in Beijing.

"The Asia-Pacific region has been one of the most peaceful and prosperous regions in the post-Cold War world. This cannot be achieved without China's role as the stabilizer and engine of world economic prosperity after its reform and opening up," said Xu Hui, Commandant of the ICDS at the NDU.

"In the past few decades, China has been actively maintaining regional stability in this area, promoting the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, participating in the establishment of a regional mechanism and confidence-building measures," said Xu.

In the last ten years, China has actively participated in anti-piracy, anti-crime, and escort missions in the Gulf of Aden, said Liang Fang, professor of the College of National Security (CNS) at the NDU.

"The crime rate has substantially declined in the Gulf of Aden since China actively shouldered peacekeeping and stability maintaining missions in the area," Liang said.

"Chinese naval forces have never controlled any strategic passage during their peacekeeping and disaster relief missions overseas. In the defensive nature of China's defense policy, we do not bring chaos or turbulence to other countries, but rather provide public security goods and dividends," said Meng Xiangqing, professor of the CNS at the NDU.

Among the five UN Security Council permanent members, China has provided the most military personnel and the second most financial support for UN peacekeeping missions, and China will adhere to the principle of upholding peace and stability consistent with the UN Charter, Meng said.

So far, the ICDS has received senior military officers from over 160 countries in five continents for training sessions and exchanges.

China has played an important role in world peacekeeping missions, said Olard Joel, a lieutenant colonel from Gabon who was trained for four months at the ICDS. Enditem

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