BEIJING -- The non-governmental forum of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia(CICA) started its first annual session on Monday, calling for public support in promoting regional security cooperation.

"Non-governmental power can play an important role in promoting mutual respect and the harmonious existence of different cultures, regions,races and religions," Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a congratulatory message to the forum, recalling his proposal of common, comprehensive,cooperative and sustainable security in Asia at the CICA Shanghai summit last year.

Xi called for the creation of a people-to-people communication network to pave the way for the spread of the CICA security concept, stronger influence for the CICA and promotion of regional security governance.

The Chinese president called on representatives to the forum to promote Asian peace and development.

China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng, who attended the opening of the forum, said Xi's proposal is in tune with the multilateral and global trend of the times.

Xi's proposal meets the demands of Asian history and reality and is an important guiding principle in managing regional security, said Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Yu called for Asian countries to deepen political trust, build a new type of Asian partnership, promote security dialogue, create an Asian security cooperation platform, strengthen economic cooperation and boost dialogues among different cultures.

Since it took the rotating chair of CICA last year, China has taken the responsibilities of the chair seriously and done its best to expand the CICA's exchanges, Yu said.

"China will continue to make use of the CICA platform, discuss regional security and development issues and improve all sides'capabilities to jointly respond to the security threats and challenges," Yu said.

China called for the leading role of the concept of Asian security in enhancing mutual trust and coordination, upgrading multilateral security network, improving the security cooperation, promoting common development through regional cooperation that benefits all countries, and jointly safeguarding lasting peace and common development in Asia, Yu said.

Around 400 statesmen and representatives from CICA members and observers, think tanks, social groups and media attended the CICA's non-governmental forum.