Beijing, 24 December 2021 (TDI): China Institute of Contemporary International Studies and China Institute of International Studies jointly held the second International Seminar on Counterterrorism with the theme of ‘New Situation, New Threats, New Challenges to Counterterrorism and New Joint Response Measures.’
The Seminar was held both online and offline on December 22. Assistant Foreign Minister of China, Wu Jianghao attended the Seminar. He also delivered a keynote speech. During the Seminar, it was pointed out that 2021 has experienced the renewal of global terrorist activities.
Remarks of Spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry on Seminar
Commenting on the Seminar, the Spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Zhao Lijian stated that experience and lessons need to be drawn from history to uphold the vision of comprehensive, common, cooperative, and sustainable global security.
Also, China aims to strengthen capacity building in developing countries, foster awareness of a community with a shared future, underscore the central role played by the UN, join hands to address new threats and new challenges of terrorism, and follow the principle of addressing both symptoms and root causes.
China accentuated that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a terrorist organization listed by the 1267 Committee of the UN Security Council. Its unbridled actions gravely endanger China’s security and stability along with posing a real threat to the global community.
Zhao Lijian recommended all countries to fully acknowledge the terrorist nature of the ETIM and jointly work with China to completely eliminate it. He pointed out that some countries have turned counterterrorism into a political tool.
They’ve done so by making baseless accusations against the legitimate deradicalization and counterterrorism measures adopted by the global community along with exploiting terrorist forces to advance their own geopolitical agendas.
The Spokesperson stated that counterterrorism must not become a leverage in geopolitics or a tool of major-country rivalry. Doing so is still less a justification to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries. He urged that the experiences of the boomerang effect must not be forgotten.
Details of Seminar
The participants of the Seminar had an in-depth discussion on three topics; the evolving landscape in Afghanistan and new threats to regional counterterrorism efforts; the new scenario in global counterterrorism and new collaborative response measures; as well as new theaters and challenges in international counterterrorism.
During the Seminar, it was decided that to facilitate international counterterrorism cooperation, all partners need to practice true multilateralism, address both symptoms and root causes, and increase developing countries’ counterterrorism capacity-building.
In addition, it was agreed that there is a need to strengthen solidarity and cooperation as well as vigorously respond to the transitions in Afghanistan along with rejecting double standards on counterterrorism and curbing the resurgence of terrorist and radical thoughts.
Oleg Vladimirovich Syromolotov, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of UAE International Center of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism, and Nabeel Munir, Additional Secretary of the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered video speeches at the opening ceremony.
The Seminar was attended by responsible officials of counter-terrorism agencies, and experts and scholars in the field of counterterrorism from 17 countries, including Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Russia, France, Afghanistan, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, South Africa, and Egypt.
