Xinhua

The 2nd World Peace Forum opens at Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, June 27, 2013. 

 

On June 27th and 28th, the World Peace Forum (WPF) held its second annual meeting at Tsinghua University to address "International Security in a Transforming World: Peace, Development and Innovation".

“The world today is in the midst of profound transformation. Security issues pose a major challenge to world peace. Traditional security threats such as armed conflict, arms race and nuclear proliferation are intertwined with non-traditional ones such as terrorism, climate change, economic security, food security, energy and resources security, and cyber security. The shadow of war has not been completely dispelled, and the fundamental problem of the absence of international security order cries out for solution,” said Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao in his speech. Participants at the forum echoed similar concerns.

The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma said in his speech, “In a changing world of converging spaces and technologies, insecurity anywhere could introduce breaks in the chains and networks of worldwide security, which could negatively impact the infrastructures of development, peace and progress everywhere,” he said. “The impacts of insecurity can no longer be confined; the benefits of security can no longer be monopolized. We are in the same boat.”

The forum discussed four subthemes: Current Changes in International Security Trends, Innovation in International Security, International Cooperation and International Security, and Social Development and International Security.

 

Yan Xuetong, director of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University and secretary general of the WPF, commented that most attendees emphasized the importance of constructing an international mechanism and discussed the functions of multilateral organizations such as the United Nations. A recurrent theme was the need to reform these organizations so that they are more aligned with a changing world, Yan noted. 

 

“China” was also a key term at the forum, reflecting expectations of China’s important role in international security. Yan also pointed out the WPF drew more participants from developing countries compared to other international security conferences.

 

WPF was founded in 2012. As a non-governmental event, its aim is to enhance voices from civil think tanks in foreign policy and international affairs. It is the first Chinese sponsored high-level international security forum. WPF is held every summer at Tsinghua University in Beijing.