Ma Xiaotian (L), deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, meets with U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, as they attend the three-day Asia Security Summit, organized by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, in Singapore, May 30, 2009. (Xinhua/Gao Chuan) Photo Gallery>>>

    SINGAPORE, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region requires all countries concerned to work together to promote cooperation in security, a senior Chinese military officer told the Asia Security Summit here on Saturday.

    "We are encouraged to see that the Asia-Pacific security situation is generally stable. Peace, development and cooperation remain the mainstream of the region," Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, said in an address to the annual conference, also known as the Shangri-la Dialogue.

    He said that negative developments in Asia-Pacific security must not be neglected.

    "Traditional and non-traditional security threats are interwoven, leading to a more complex regional security situation," Ma said.

    He said multilateral dialogue and security cooperation mechanisms at different levels and in different fields should be encouraged in the Asia-Pacific region to cope with transnational threats and challenges such as terrorism, international crime, natural disasters and piracy.

    Ma said security cooperation norms featuring "mutual respect, mutual trust, reciprocity and mutual benefit" should be established.

    Countries in the region should actively engage in military diplomacy for enhanced mutual understanding and trust, he said.

    Ma is in Singapore for the three-day summit, which is organized by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

    The summit brings together about 22 ministerial-level guests, along with parliamentarians, military leaders and security experts from more than 27 countries and regions, including the United States, Japan and South Korea, for discussions on regional security issues and defense cooperation.

Teo Chee Hean (R), deputy prime minister and defense minister of Singapore, meets with Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, in Singapore, May 30, 2009. Ma Xiaotian is in Singapore to attend the Asia Security Summit, organized by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. (Xinhua/Gao Chuan) Photo Gallery>>>