The first China-Africa Peace and Security Forum is being held in Beijing. The theme is "Cooperation hand-in-hand to consolidate security". It's the highest level of security forum, where defense ministers and military chiefs are gathering to discuss cooperation, security, peace, and funding. The event echoes President Xi Jinping's speech from last year's Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, or FO-CAC. The country is strengthening security ties with African nations as its investments across the continent grow with the Belt and Road Initiatives. CGTN correspondent Han Bin has more.

A combat drill at China's overseas base in Djibouti. It is the PLA's new training model for missions in Africa. Over the past decade, China's role in security in Africa has grown rapidly through peacekeeping and escort missions, arms sales and military exchange programs.

LT. GEN. MASANEH N. KINTEH CHIEF OF DEFENSE STAFF, GAMBIA "I think the security cooperation is meaningful, in a way that African continent and China have a lot in common, and we've got shared challenges."

LT. GEN. CHARLES MADUT AKOL ASST. CHIEF OF DEFENSE FORCES, SOUTH SUDAN "It gives a chance to the people to share the security situation in the African countries, and how African people should come together to address the security of their continent."

GEN. DAVID MUHOOZI CHIEF OF DEFENSE FORCES, UGANDA "I believe more in the collaborative approach to international peace and security. Everyone matters, including China."

Forums such as this highlight China's willingness to show transparency with African counterparts, and to address problems to reduce skepticism. It's a step forward in implementing the initiatives on security cooperation agreed upon at the FO-CAC summit last year. China has pledged to set up a peace and security fund, provide military aid, and extend some 50 security assistance programs.

MAJ. GEN. SONG YANCHAO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICE, CHINESE DEFENSE MINISTRY "China-Africa security cooperation is an important force for improving the global security governance system and safeguarding international fairness and justice."

MAJ. GEN. GUO RUOBING, COMMANDANT COLLEGE OF DEFENSE STUDIES, PLA NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY "Adhering to common security means respecting and safeguarding the security of each country, taking care of the security concerns of all parties, and not sacrificing the security of other countries to seek absolute security."

Unlike Western powers, China's approach focuses on development. African countries say the security-related programs support the Belt and Road Initiative. And from the gathering here, we can see that China's initiatives are being welcomed. But how much its overall actions will contribute to improving stability in the highly complicated security situation in Africa, will take a long time to see. Han Bin, CGTN, Beijing.