Xi puts forward five-point proposal to consolidate, deepen SCO cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the 16th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 24, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

TASHKENT -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has put forward a five-point proposal Friday for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to consolidate unity and mutual trust, and deepen comprehensive cooperation.

Speaking at the 16th SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Uzbek capital Tashkent, Xi hailed the remarkable achievements of the regional bloc since its establishment 15 years ago.

The first of the achievements is that the SCO has advocated and put into practice the pioneering Shanghai Spirit, which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development, said the Chinese president.

Moreover, Xi noted that members of the SCO have worked to build political mutual trust and firmly supported each other's independent choices of development path.

The SCO countries have also deepened their cooperation greatly in trade, business, finance, energy and transportation, among other areas, Xi said.

The SCO has signed the Treaty of Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, codifying into law the aspiration of enduring friendship.

In addition, the Chinese president noted, the organization has actively reached out to others with an ever-growing circle of friends. As last year's Ufa summit initiated the process to take in new members for first time in SCO history, the international influence of the organization has kept increasing with its full members and observers accounting for nearly half of the world's population.

Proposing for future development of the SCO, Xi urged all members to firstly carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, which has been regarded as the bloc's undergirding value.

The SCO should remain open and transparent without targeting any third party, engage all like-minded international partners in wide-ranging cooperation and act as a constructive force for the healthy development of the international order, said the Chinese leader.

Secondly, the SCO should continue to prioritize security and cement this foundation of the SCO development, said Xi, adding that it needs to beef up the institutional construction for cooperation on combating terrorism and drug trafficking.