China opposes terrorism in all forms, top legislator tells a joint speakers' meeting

BEIJING - China opposes terrorism in all forms and is committed to settling disputes through dialogue, the top Chinese legislator has said.

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's national legislature, sent a congratulatory message Sunday to the First Joint Meeting of the Speakers of Pakistan, China, Russia, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey held on Dec. 23-26 in Islamabad.

With the world undergoing major development, transformation and adjustment, peace and development remain the call of the day, Zhang said in his message.

However, the world also faces growing uncertainties, destabilizing factors and lackluster global economic growth. While regional hotspot issues are flaring up, there are non-traditional security threats as well, like terrorism, he added.

"No country can address alone the various challenges confronting mankind, and the only right option is to stick together in times of difficulty," Zhang said.

China, he stressed, is committed to settling disputes through dialogue and resolving differences through discussion. It seeks to address traditional and non-traditional security threats in a coordinated manner, and opposes terrorism in all its forms.

China is seeking to build a new platform for international cooperation and inject new dynamism for common development with the Belt and Road Initiative, he added.

Proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, the initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting countries along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes. It comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.

Zhang also said that at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October, Xi had underscored that China will continue its efforts to safeguard world peace, contribute to global development and uphold international order.