In 2001, the ASEAN Regional Forum proposed formal cooperation in NTS areas. The ARF is not a special forum on combating piracy, but since its inception it has paid much attention to the issue. In 2002, the ARF members established a sea piracy taskforce to study piracy and armed robbery and issued a Statement on Cooperation against Piracy and Other Threats to Maritime Security in 2003. The ARF has pursued China and ASEAN to enter into an active dialogue on maritime security issues, including consultation on shipping security, maritime anti-terrorism operations, building up communication
channels and carrying out various forms of NTS.