THE 12th World Peace Forum (WPF) opened in Beijing on Saturday, focusing on improving global security governance. Themed “Improving Global Security Governance: Justice, Unity and Cooperation,” this year’s forum is being attended by about 400 people, including former foreign political dignitaries, diplomatic envoys from various countries in China, experts, and scholars. The forum includes four plenary sessions and over a dozen panel sessions, providing opportunities for in-depth discussions on various topics, such as promoting the concept of peaceful development, safeguarding fairness and justice, major-country relations, and regional development and cooperation. The current international situation is turbulent, and the international system is facing increasing risks and challenges, said Li Luming, president of Tsinghua University and chairman of the WPF, at the opening ceremony of the forum. “We firmly believe that the more turbulent and divided the world is, the greater the need for solidarity and coordination. The more tense and confrontational relations between countries are, the greater the need for dialogue and exchanges,” Li said, adding that this is the practical value of the forum. Initiated in 2012 by Tsinghua University and the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, WPF is the first high-level forum concerning global security to be held by Chinese non-governmental organizations. (Xinhua) | 