On June 14, 2023, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Senior Officials' Meeting was held via video link. Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong attended the meeting.

Nong Rong said that since its founding 30 years ago, the ARF has always upheld the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, upheld an ASEAN-centered, open and inclusive regional cooperation architecture, respected each other's core interests, and properly handled differences through dialogue and consultation. The core principles of the Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping are highly consistent with the ARF's vision, and the 20 cooperation areas  the initiative identified are also in line with the ARF's cooperation priorities. China is ready to work with all parties on the initiative to enhance the vitality of the forum mechanism, promote regional peace and stability and help build an economic growth center.

Nong Rong strongly refuted the false accusations made against China by some participants on the South China Sea and other issues, and pointed out that Taiwan question and issues related to Hong Kong and Xinjiang, among others, are China's internal affairs and brook no foreign interference. Nong Rong expounded on China's principled position on the Korean Peninsula issues, the Ukraine crisis and Myanmar issue, among others, and expressed grave concern over Japan’s forceful push for the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean.

All parties reaffirmed their support for ASEAN centrality in East Asia cooperation and stressed the need to continue to advance confidence-building measures, steadily carry out preventive diplomacy, actively respond to regional challenges and continue to carry out cooperation in various fields so as to make positive contributions to regional peace, stability and prosperity.

The ARF is an ASEAN-led platform for multilateral security dialogue and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region with the participation of 27 parties including ASEAN countries, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Russia and the European Union.