China stands ready to put Global Security Initiative into action: spokesman

China stands ready to work with the international community to follow through on the Global Security Initiative and safeguard world peace and security, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a routine press conference in Beijing Thursday.

Guo's remarks came after the High-Level Dialog: Global Governance after the UN Summit of the Future was held Wednesday as a panel discussion at the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference. It is viewed as a follow-up to the UN Summit of the Future, which concluded with the Pact for the Future last year.

"In a volatile and turbulent world, peace and security are the top priorities of global governance. President Xi Jinping, with a global vision and a focus on the well-being of mankind, personally outlines and promotes the Global Security Initiative, aiming to build broad consensus and great synergy of the international community to improve global security governance, and resolve the security dilemma of mankind," Guo said.

At the dialog, Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong said the Global Security Initiative and the Pact for the Future should strengthen synergy, be implemented in a coordinated manner and help each other succeed. He also put forward suggestions on how to use the initiative as a guide to strengthen security cooperation and promote world peace and tranquility.

Guo said the BFA guests from home and abroad highly commended the progress and achievements made since the Global Security Initiative was proposed in 2022, and expressed high expectations for concerted efforts from the international community to maintain and promote world peace and security.

"China will continue to work with all parties in the international community to translate the Global Security Initiative from consensus into action, and the Pact for the Future from vision into reality, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and create a bright future of lasting peace and universal security," said Guo.

Founded in 2001, the BFA is a non-governmental and non-profit international organization committed to promoting regional economic integration and bringing Asian countries closer to their development goals. Running from March 25 to 28, this year's conference is themed "Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future."

China stands ready to put Global Security Initiative into action: spokesman

Myanmar's government is coordinating all departments to work together to save lives during the critical 72-hour rescue window, amid what an official on Sunday described as a "very chaotic condition" following the devastating earthquake.

The rescue work after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the southeast Asian country at around 12:50 local time (06:20 GMT) on Friday currently faces great difficulties, according to Min Min Thein, director general of the Department of Rehabilitation under the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.

"Because of the strong nature of the earthquake, some of the basement floors collapsed down and some people are trapped in these areas. So we are identifying these people -- where are the missing people, where are the trapped people. The fire safety department, and also the military personnel, and also other representatives from different ministries, are working together to save the lives of the victims as much as we can. At the time, we also have some kind of damage in some of the hospitals, so it is a very chaotic condition at this moment. However, we are trying to manage as much as we can, and also these fire safety departments are working 24 hours these days to catch up the 'golden hours' -- 72 hours. And also, we are also arranging for the emergency shelters and also food and water assistance," he said.

Min Min Thein expressed the government's gratitude to the rescue teams rushing to the quake-hit areas from various countries, emphasizing that China's immediate response in dispatching experienced rescue teams demonstrates the friendship between China and Myanmar.

"So the first international [team] arriving is a Chinese rescue team, and then later followed by other teams. So such kind of experienced team, and also experienced with equipment, are coming together, expressing friendship between China and Myanmar," said the official.

Myanmar making every effort to save lives in "very chaotic condition" after deadly earthquake: official