A map illustrating One Belt, One Road project. (Reuters)

China today held a security cooperation dialogue here with officials from more than 20 countries on the Belt and Road (Silk Road) Initiative. Enhancing international cooperation to tackle risks and safeguard security for the Belt and Road Initiative is the common task for all countries, said Meng Jianzhu, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Meng called on participants to make full use of the dialogue to enhance exchanges of information and deepen security and law-enforcement cooperation. Twenty-eight heads of state and government confirmed their participation in the Belt and Road summit to be held here on May 14-15.

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India which has raised concerns over the multi-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is yet to name its representative as the corridor is part of the Belt and Road initiative. “Cooperation in trade, investment, and infrastructure have been growing, thanks to the Belt and Road initiative,” Meng said, adding that the forthcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will push for further cooperation.

“We hope that all sides would foster the concept of common and cooperative security, and establish a sound security cooperation mechanism for the Belt and Road Initiative,” China’s Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun said at the opening ceremony of the dialogue.

Guo called for stepping up pragmatic cooperation in such areas as public security, anti-terrorism, and protecting overseas interests. Participants attending the dialogue pledged to strengthen security cooperation with China for the Belt and Road Initiative.