Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, delivers a speech at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) via video link at the invitation of Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly and the Russian State Duma, on Nov. 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Tao) 

BEIJING -- Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, delivered a speech on Monday at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) via video link at the invitation of Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly and the Russian State Duma. 

On behalf of the National People's Congress of China, Li extended warm congratulations on the convening of the meeting. He added that, as an influential regional international security organization, the CSTO has played an increasingly significant role in safeguarding the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member states, promoting regional peace and stability, and preventing and responding to new threats and challenges to regional security. 

The world is undergoing profound changes and a pandemic, posing severe challenges to the security and development of all countries, Li said, adding that terrorism, extremism and separatism have brought uncertainties to regional security and stability. Some countries have drawn ideological lines and frequently imposed unilateral sanctions, which has severely impacted the international and regional security governance systems and multilateral mechanisms. 

He said that, under these new circumstances, the legislatures of all member countries need to actively carry out bilateral and multilateral cooperation to deal with unilateralism, hegemonism and other security issues. 

Li said that China has a good foundation and conditions for cooperation with the CSTO in security and other fields. 

Li emphasized that the NPC of China is willing to carry out flexible and diverse cooperation with the legislatures of the member states of the CSTO to fully release the potential of the organization and other regional security organizations and mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. 

"We are also ready to work with the member states of the CSTO to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, promote lasting peace and common prosperity in the region, and build an even closer community with a shared future," he added.