Xi to address Asian security summit

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping will expound on China's views on the Asian security situation and put forward proposals for beefing up regional security dialogue and cooperation during a summit in Shanghai next week, said a senior diplomat here on Thursday.

The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) will be held in Shanghai on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping said the two-day event will draw 11 heads of states, two heads of governments and 10 chiefs of international organizations. The dignitaries will include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

They are expected to discuss topics including the Asian security situation, measures to promote Asian dialogues, trust and coordination, according to Cheng.

China will take over as CICA host from 2014 to 2016. During the summit, President Xi will announce China's measures to promote Asia security and CICA development in his key-note speech, Cheng told a press briefing.

The conference will result in a Shanghai Declaration elaborating on CICA members' agreement on the global and regional situation, their consensus in solving hot issues as well as plans for CICA development, he said.

Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, will host a welcome banquet for foreign guests on Tuesday. The summit itself will be held on Wednesday at the Shanghai Expo Center.

Putin, Nazarbayev, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will pay state visits to China on the sidelines of the summit, Cheng said.

The CICA was established in 1992 as a forum for dialogue and consultations and promotion of confidence-building measures. It now has 24 member countries and 13 observers.