Li Baiqing, founder, legal representative and executive director of the CGE Peace Development Foundation, speaks at the forum. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An international forum was held in Sanya, a resort city at the southern coast of tropical Hainan province on April 17 to identify an approach for establishing a new public security order in the Asia Pacific region and promoting security cooperation among countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. 

About 100 security experts and professionals from China and elsewhere attended the forum and held discussions focused on Asia Pacific public security and counter terrorism, cooperation potential and the service capacity of security programs among the Belt and Road countries.

With the continuous promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative, China's overseas investment and cooperation is on the rise. For the protection of its nationals, the Chinese government has invested in different programs such as evacuation and rescue efforts, but there is growing need for more overseas security measures, said Feng Chuanjian, founder and director of the CGE Peace Development Foundation, which hosted the forum.

Jamie A Williamson, executive director of the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Providers' Association, said the forum served as a very important platform for security service regulation dialogue and exchanges among multiple stakeholders including governments, civil societies and security providers. 

The forum proposed to establish an "International Security Service Cooperation Dialogue Platform" which will offer multilateral approaches where extensive participation of international organizations, government agencies, social organizations (think tank research institutions) and security service providers will be welcomed, according to Feng, one of the major initiators of the new dialogue platform.

He said the platform aims at establishing connectivity among China's security industry, international organizations, social organizations and security service providers. It is expected to build more understanding of policies, values, and innovative skills as well as of the best practices of the international security services and promote information sharing and personnel training. 

These activities are expected to ultimately promote the comprehensive capacity and internationalization of China's overseas security service industry.