Experts highlight joint efforts of int'l community, China's pivotal role in combating terrorism

Joint efforts of the international community are needed to tackle the problem of terrorism, said experts on the sidelines of the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, highlighting the significant role of China in these efforts.

Themed "Promoting Peace for a Shared Future", this year's forum runs from Thursday to Saturday, during which anti-terrorism is an important topic for discussion. Twenty years have passed since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. However, terrorist activities have shown no signs of waning, especially in war-torn Afghanistan.

"The situation in Afghanistan is quite prominent. After the withdrawal of U.S. forces, over 20 international terrorist groups remain in Afghanistan and they have even set up training camps in the region. This has caused significant distress for both Afghanistan and its neighboring countries, posing serious security threats," said Fu Xiaoqiang, vice president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

At present, terrorist forces have resumed and even expanded in various regions. Experts assert that it is imperative for nations worldwide to unite in their efforts to prevent and combat terrorism.

"We cannot rely solely on military means to address the issue of terrorism; instead, we should think more deeply about the root causes. China has proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, which try to consider and address these security and development issues from different perspectives," said Fu.

Experts believe that China is increasingly taking on roles as a participant, promoter, and leader on the international stage in addressing key global security challenges.

This is particularly evident in its efforts to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict and foster peace and stability in the Middle East, where Chinese wisdom and proposals are playing a pivotal role.

"This year, we hosted two rounds of meetings for internal reconciliation among Palestinian factions, leading to the signing of the Beijing Declaration [on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity]. Fourteen Palestinian factions have promised to promote internal reconciliation within Palestine. Additionally, China has made another contribution to the Middle East peace process by engaging in long-term economic cooperation with countries in the region, aiming to help them address challenges and issues through economic development," said Niu Xinchun, vice president of Ningxia University.

Initiated in 2006, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum is a high-level security and defense forum in Asia-Pacific with significant international influence.

Experts highlight joint efforts of int'l community, China's pivotal role in combating terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that his country has not sent hypersonic missiles to Yemen's Houthi group.

The president made the remarks at a press conference in Tehran, in response to a question from an Al Jazeera news network reporter who quoted political experts saying that Iran has supplied hypersonic missiles, or the technology to develop them, to the Houthis.

Iran has hypersonic missiles, but not of the same kind that the Houthis possess, Pezeshkian said, adding that the Houthis themselves had developed the missiles over time.

It is impossible for Iran to send missiles to Yemen covertly when it takes more than a week just to send solely human forces to the country, he said.

Pezeshkian said that Iran and the Houthis have worked together against Israel's "genocide" in Gaza, and stressed that the international community should condemn the crimes against humanity committed by Israel.

"If [the Western] countries are worried about the security of Israel, why are they not concerned about the security of Gaza Strip, the security of Palestine and innocent people? Civilized countries and supporters of human rights should not allow power to bomb and kill innocent civilians while simultaneously accusing Iran of supplying missiles to Yemen's Houthis," said Pezeshkian.

On Iran-U.S. relations, Pezeshkian emphasized Iran's pursuit of peace over conflict and clarified that Iran has no intentions of building nuclear weapons.

However, he said, the U.S. has chosen to abandon the Iran nuclear deal and made threats against Iran. The possibility of a relaxation in strained relations between the two sides hinges on the U.S. dropping its animosity towards Iran and revoking its extensive sanctions against the country, he said.

"We don't want to start a war, but the U.S. wants to impose wars on us. If the U.S. is willing to respect Iran's rights, we will not engage in conflict with the U.S. or any other party. We hope to develop safely in our own country without the U.S. undermining Iran's security or threaten and humiliate Iran. we will never accept humiliation," Pezeshkian said.

Iran has not sent hypersonic missiles to Yemen's Houthis: President Pezeshkian