II. Shared Responsibilities
Asia Pacific is home to us all, and all countries in the region, big or small, are equal members with their due share of responsibilities and obligations. No one can stay aloof of regional affairs, nor can one make trouble. Neither big nor small countries should do what they please in disregard of the others. Only when all of us pursue common security by expanding shared interests and handling disputes by peaceful means can Asia Pacific be more secure and more prosperous.
-- Enhance strategic trust. In today's world, countries are increasingly more interdependent in both security and development. Therefore we have no choice but to work together in addressing the common problems and meeting the security threats. Strategic mutual trust is the foundation for cooperation, exchanges and common security. It is also the precondition for greater transparency. Facts have shown that engagement is better than resistance, dialogue is better than confrontation, and bridges are more helpful than walls. With a view to maintaining regional and global peace and stability, we should view each other's development objectively and rationally，and work to build trust and reduce suspicions. By adopting a forward-looking vision rather than haggling over trivial matters, overcoming disturbance and seeking common ground while shelving differences, we can lay the groundwork for strategic trust among regional militaries.
-- Respect each other's national interests. All sovereign countries have the right of existence and development, while countries differ in their interests and security concerns. In developing bilateral or multi-lateral relations, we should try to understand the interests of other countries, and especially respect their core interests. As a Chinese saying goes, "Don't do to others what you don't want the others to do to you." This should be the principle guiding today's exchanges and cooperation between countries and their militaries.
-- Handle conflicts and differences appropriately. Conflicts and differences are inevitable. Some of them are left over from history, some result from clashing interests, while others have to do with the intervention by a third party. Political, rather than military solutions are the most desirable. All parties concerned should respect history, abide by international laws as well as the norms governing international relations, and create conditions for the settlement of the problems. Even when conditions are not ripe for their immediate solution, we should not aggravate differences, even less make more trouble. The idea of "shelving differences" as put forward by late Chairman Deng Xiaoping embodies great political wisdom in handling international disputes. It does not mean withdrawal from disputes that bear on our fundamental national interest, but rather leaving them to future generations when the time is ripe to solve the differences.
--Promote practical exchanges and cooperation. Amid rapid development and fundamental changes in the Asia Pacific, there exist numerous problems and conflicts that require us to take with effective measure to boost practical exchanges and cooperation. Rather than sit back and talk, we should get down to business, starting from what is feasible now. On the one hand, we should make full use of the existing cooperation mechanisms, such as the Six-Party Talks, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. On the other hand, we should explore new channels of cooperation, advancing cultural exchanges, trade, science and technology sharing, as well as cooperation in international disaster relief and counter-transnational crime. With a strong sense of responsibility, we shall be able to bring regional security cooperation to a higher level.
