On September 14, 2009, former Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan attended by invitation the International Conference on the "Modern State and Global Security" in Yaroslavl, Russia and delivered a speech titled "Join Hands to Counter Challenges and Achieve Common Security".

Tang pointed out that the current international situation is experiencing the most profound and complex changes since the end of the Cold War. The international security situation is seeing some new features and trends. The connotation and denotation of security are expanding. The international security issue is getting increasingly integral, interdependent and interactive. Security and development are more closely linked together. The international community also gained more consensuses on working together to address security challenges.

Tang said that the countries should join hands to actively explore effective means to lasting peace and common security. Countries should pursue the new security concept based upon mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and collaboration and promote the peaceful resolution of hotspot issues. Countries should advance the arms control and disarmament process, encourage the exchange and dialogue between different civilizations and development models, and adhere to promoting security through development.

Tang stressed that terrorism, separatism, and extremism have increasingly become the common threat to the international community. Therefore, the international community should enhance international cooperation to jointly fight against the three forces, especially international terrorism. To this end, the international community should abide by the UN Charter and other established principles of international law, adhere to the principle of equal treatment and oppose double standards, and disconnect terrorism with certain states, nationalities and religions. The international community should adhere to the principle of "treating both symptoms and root causes" and explore various means including political, economic, military and diplomatic means to fight against the three forces. The international community should promote the harmony between different nationalities and religions.

Tang lastly said that no matter how the international situation changes, China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, pursue an open strategy based upon mutual benefit and win-win results, and strive to build a harmonious world with lasting peace and common prosperity.

The International Conference on the Modern State and Global Security was proposed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. In addition to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, and former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi also spoke at the conference.