The Sub-Forum on Migration Management Cooperation of the 2024 Conference of Global Public Security Cooperation Forum (Lianyungang) took place in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province from September 9 to 10. This sub-forum, themed "Development and Innovation of Migration Governance under the Changing Environment", aimed to promote the concept "Security through Cooperation for Development", and establish a global platform for high-level exchanges, equitable dialogues, and sharing of achievements in terms of migration governance. It also sought to build consensus among all the concerned parties, create a more collaborative future, and take global migration governance to new heights. Approximately 300 guests attended this sub-forum, including the heads and representatives of immigration and exit-entry authorities from 57 countries and regions, such as China, Ecuador, Russia, Singapore, the Solomon Islands, and Tanzania, experts and scholars, as well as officials from six prestigious international organizations including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.  

A group photo of the attendees of the Sub-Forum on Migration Management Cooperation of the 2024 Conference of Global Public Security Cooperation Forum (Lianyungang)

All attendees engaged in a variety of discussions on the current situation of migration, and the experiences and measures for migration governance, delving into the issues of general concern and the approaches to strengthen cooperation in migration management. Of particular interest were the exchanges of insights into the topics like "Regulating and Facilitating Personnel Exchanges", "Collaboratively Preventing Security Risks at Ports", "Optimizing Management of Cross-Border Movement of Citizens", and "Application of Information Technologies in Migration Management".

A photo taken during the Sub-Forum on Migration Management Cooperation of the 2024 Conference of Global Public Security Cooperation Forum (Lianyungang) 

An official of the National Immigration Administration of China outlined China's progress in the development and innovation of its migration governance, which was made under the guidance of the initiative of building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. China recognized that international migration is becoming increasingly complex, orderly migration has been disrupted, and there is an imbalance in international population flow. These phenomena have resulted in numerous challenges for global migration governance. In the face of these challenges, China voiced support for more inclusive economic globalization and the convenient, and unimpeded flow of people, technologies, goods, and capital, among other resources. It called for a fairer, more orderly multipolar world and more just and reasonable global migration governance. China further proposed to establish a shared, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security framework to jointly address the challenges faced by global migration. In addition, China called for championing humanity's common values and protecting the legitimate rights of migrants and those crossing borders in accordance with the laws. The country announced that it will implement more open policies for cross-border mobility and take tougher measures against transnational crime, and that it will also seek to expand global cooperation in migration governance, deepen the development and innovation of migration governance with more practical measures, and expand its role in the cooperation in global migration management. These efforts are anticipated to give fresh impetus to the opening-up and development, provide new opportunities for enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation, and open up new prospects for cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. China called for national governments within the international community to enhance discussion and collaborative actions on issues of migration, jointly practice genuine multilateralism, and jointly discuss issues concerning the management of global migration. It also announced its support for the joint promotion of more democratic regulations for governance, the establishment of a global system of governance, the improvement of overall capabilities, and the sharing of achievements in global migration governance.

A photo taken during the Sub-Forum on Migration Management Cooperation of the 2024 Conference of Global Public Security Cooperation Forum (Lianyungang)

Amy Pope, Director General of IOM, delivered a speech via video, in which she acknowledged China's efforts in hosting the sub-forum and commended China's measures to facilitate the visit, studying, and residency of foreign nationals.

All attendees unanimously agreed that the sub-forum's theme highly corresponded to the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), as well as the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They expressed their deep concerns for the challenges faced by the global governance and cooperation in migration-related issues at present, and called for the establishment of a new global migration governance model to give new impetus to the world's peace.