To the music of Auld Lang Syne, the ode to friendship, military representatives from across the world wrapped up the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on Thursday, reinforcing the security event's core message of dialogue and cooperation.

Themed "Build Consensus on Stability, Advance Security Governance Together," the forum, established 20 years ago, brought together military officers and think-tank scholars from more than 100 countries, regions and international organizations for semi-official talks.

From China's security philosophy and China-US relations to Asia's security, CGTN picks out three key takeaways from the three-day forum.

China is 'engine' of world peace

The Xiangshan forum has become a major platform for China to deepen exchange and cooperation on security with other countries in implementing the Global Security Initiative (GSI), a Chinese proposal that promotes the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

At the first high-end interview on the first day of the forum, scholar Jean Christophe Baron von Pfetten told the attendees in fluent Chinese that China is the engine of world peace.

Baron von Pfetten, chairman of the Royal Institute for East West Strategic Studies in the United Kingdom, then held up a copy of the Concept Paper on the Global Governance Initiative, released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry in September last year. "This is the key to the future in this world," he said. "This is promoted by China, not for China, but for the world."

By consistently promoting goodwill and trust among countries, China has contributed a vital perspective on how to tackle global security issues, said Carlos Branco, former director of cooperation and regional security at NATO International Military Staff.

"China actually has a very important role because it brings a new narrative of 'positive-sum' games," Branco told China Media Group (CMG).

"The discourse of China is always in the promotion of cooperation, dialogue, understanding," he said. "And this is really what the world needs now."

Building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability

One of the most discussed topics during the forum was how to build a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability, a new positioning of the bilateral relationship agreed between the two heads of state in May.

Speaking to reporters, Baron von Pfetten said he believed the world will be more peaceful if China and the United States cooperate more closely.

He dismissed the suggestion that the countries are adversaries, saying that they are aligned in their stances on fundamental security issues such as nuclear proliferation and nuclear escalation.

Zhang Chi, a professor of China's National Defense University, said advancing global development, safeguarding global security and improving global governance will not be achieved without China‑US cooperation.

Sessions across different panels during the forum have reflected the consensus reached by both sides on the new framework of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability, Zhang told the media, adding that many delegates have voiced expectations for the steady and sound growth of China-US ties.

"As we often say, the world is big enough for both China and the United States," he said.

Both sides should uphold the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, to help bilateral relations stabilize, improve and move forward, he added.

Asia security

Asian security was also a major focus for participants at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum and experts highlighted the importance of improving political mutual trust via multi-level dialogue mechanisms.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Asia's development comes from dialogue, not confrontation, and from cooperation, not division.

"To maintain peace and security in Asia, we need to continue multilateralism, multi-layered dialogue, including not only dialogue among governments but also military crisis management mechanisms," Hatoyama said.

Shafdean Lufty, senior director at the Malaysian Institute of Defense and Security, said achieving collective security in Asia requires peaceful negotiation and consultation.

In an interview with CMG, Lufty highlighted the importance of direct people-to-people engagement and mutual empathy for countries to address issues of common concern and to live side by side in harmony and peace across the region.

Duong Quy Nam, director of Vietnam's Institute for Defense International Relations, said the security of one country should not build upon the insecurity of another.

He told CMG that sustainable security can only be forged through dialogue, respect for one another's legitimate interests, and adherence to international law.