Shanghai Five”, a mechanism begun in April 1996, has, in the spirit of consultations on an equal footing and mutual accommodation, demonstrated to the world a new security model. It is a model in defense of peace and tranquility in the border areas of the five neighboring countries, for the expansion of good neighborly relations based on equality, mutual trust and mutual benefit. Over the past five years, it has evolved from talks aimed at settling border disputes and enhancing military mutual trust into a multi-layered, multi-dimensional mechanism of coordination and cooperation, a mechanism for encounters among the heads of state and high-ranking ministerial officials of security, defense, foreign affairs and others. Reiterating many times that they will never allow any acts detrimental to the sovereignty, security and social order to any one of the five countries by using their own territories, the partners have set the “Shanghai Five” ’s central theme of cooperation for political security, which has served as a base for expansion of teamwork in trade, economic relations, energy and other fields. In June this year, the heads of the five will get together once again in Shanghai to explore ways for enhancing the level of cooperation so as to elevate the “Shanghai Five” onto a new stage of development in the new century. Nevertheless, the point of departure for raising cooperation level in favor of common development will still be security cooperation in safeguarding regional security and stability. A mechanism begun in April 1996, has, in, the spirit of consultations on an equal footing and mutual accommodation, demonstrated to the world a new security model. It is a model in defense of peace and tranquility in the border areas of the five cases countries, for the expansion of good neighborly and based on equality, mutual trust and mutual benefit. Over the past five years, it has evolved from agreements aimed at settling border disputes and enhancing military mutual trust into a multi-layered, multi -dimensional mechanism of coordination and cooperation, a mechanism for encounters among the heads of state and high-ranking ministerial officials of security, defense, foreign affairs and others. Reiterating many times that they will never allow any acts detrimental to the sovereignty, security and social order to any one of the five countries by using their own territories, the partners have set the “Shanghai Five” ’s central theme of cooperation for poli tical security, which has served as a base for expansion of teamwork in trade, economic relations, energy and other fields. In June this year, the heads of the five will get together once again in Shanghai to explore ways for enhancing the level of cooperation so as to elevate the “Shanghai Five” onto a new stage of development in the new century. Nevertheless, the point of departure for raising cooperation level in favor of common development will still be security cooperation in safeguarding regional security and stability.