Xi urges SCO to expand cooperation

Meetings include senior diplomats, defense ministers

President Xi Jinping called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization members on Monday to remain true to their original aspiration and push cooperation in all areas.

Xi made the remark while meeting with senior diplomats of the members of the SCO at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. After the meeting, Xi also met with defense ministers of those countries.

It was the first formal meeting of SCO foreign ministers since the organization accepted Pakistan and India as its new members last year.

Since its establishment 17 years ago, the SCO has stood the test of the time and developed into a comprehensive regional organization with wide influence, Xi said.

The SCO has set a model for a new type of international relations with the characteristics of mutual respect, justice and win-win cooperation, he added.

Saying the SCO summit to be held in Qingdao, Shandong province, in June will be the first of its kind since the increase in SCO members, Xi told the senior diplomats that he hopes all sides will cooperate for its success.

China has successfully hosted more than 120 activities of the SCO since it assumed the rotating presidency of the organization, Xi said.

The current global and regional situation is complex, he said, with unstable and uncertain factors, and SCO members should make real efforts to meet the expectations of all nations.

China would like to make joint efforts with all SCO members to continue to support each other and offer SCO wisdom and SCO solutions, safeguard regional security cooperation, deepen Belt and Road cooperation and expand people-to-people exchanges, Xi said.

During the meeting, the foreign ministers of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, India and Pakistan made speeches. They spoke positively of the efforts that China has made to prepare the SCO summit.

The SCO should enhance coordination and cooperation on international and regional affairs, the senior diplomats said.