China calls for 'fair and effective' security order

Chinese leader Hu Jintao called on world leaders at a summit here Thursday to establish a new "fair and effective" security order and step up co-operation in combating global terrorism.
Taking the podium on the second day of the world's largest gathering of heads of state and government, Hu also urged a world-wide energy dialogue and joint efforts to maintain energy security.
Hu said it was time to scrap Cold War attitudes and "cultivate a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and co-operation, and build a fair and effective collective security mechanism."
The leader of the Asian Communist giant said the United Nations should be "the core" of collective security efforts. "Such a role can only be strengthened and must not in any way be weakened," he said.
Hu said nations should encourage the peaceful settlement of international disputes and oppose all infringement on the sovereignty of others and moves to threaten or use military force.
"We should step up anti-terrorist co-operation in a resolute fight against terrorism, working to address both the symptoms and root causes of the problem with special emphasis on eliminating the sources of the menace," Hu said.
Hu, whose country has begun to flex its economic muscle, said the world "should work actively to establish and improve a multilateral trading system that is open, fair and non-discriminatory."
As a budding rival to the United States on world energy markets, China also sought increased global co-operation.
"We should step up (a) world-wide energy dialogue and co-operation, jointly maintan energy security and energy market stability, and ensure a well-supplied, secure, cost-effective and clean energy environment conducive to global economic growth," Hu said.
The Chinese president called for efforts to promote UN reform "actively and prudently," particularly regarding enlargement of the 15-member UN Security Council.
"The reform should aim, as a priority, to increase the representation of the developing countries, African countries in particular, and allow more countries, especially small and medium-sized countries, to participate in the decision-making of the Security Council," Hu said.