Central Asia: China touts ‘universal security’ at forum to counter terrorism, crime

China has held its first ever public security ministers’ meeting with Central Asian countries as Beijing looks to protect belt and road interests in the region.

China’s Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong met his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for the inaugural Conference of Global Public Security Cooperation Forum on Tuesday in Lianyungang, in the eastern province of Jiangsu.

The forum on public security and internal affairs was intended to “establish a sense of a security community and deepen strategic mutual trust and cooperation”, Wang said.

“China is willing to enhance the capability for counterterrorism and transnational crime fighting, and build an efficient and pragmatic cooperation platform with Central Asian countries to achieve the vision of universal security,” Wang said.

The meeting came a year after the launch of the China Central Asia Summit, which expanded Beijing’s cooperation with its neighbours beyond trade and investment into security and stability.