China on Friday called on member states of the Shanghai Cooperation 
Organization (SCO) to strengthen solidarity and cooperation and build a closer 
SCO community with a shared future. 

Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the SCO's founding, Chinese 
President Xi Jinping reviewed the history of SCO cooperation and made proposals 
for its future development at the 21st meeting of the Council of Heads of State 
of the SCO. The summit was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, which is holding the 
rotating SCO presidency in 2021.  

Addressing the summit in Beijing via video link, Xi called on SCO member states 
to enhance collaboration on Afghanistan-related issues and promote a smooth 
transition in the country.  

The SCO will launch procedures to admit Iran as a member state and Saudi 
Arabia, Egypt and Qatar as new dialogue partners on Friday, said the Chinese 
president.

Efforts to build 'new type of international relations'

The creation of the SCO was announced on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai by 
Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russian, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and 
Pakistan joined the bloc in 2017, bringing the number of member states to 
eight. 

President Xi hailed the "vigorous growth" of the SCO and the "fruitful, 
mutually beneficial cooperation" among its member states during the past two 
decades. 

"Guided by the Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, 
consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common 
development, the SCO has endeavored to promote world peace, development and 
human progress, and to explore new ground, both theoretically and with actual 
steps, with a view to building a new type of international relations and a 
community with a shared future for mankind," the Chinese president said. 

SCO member states have jointly promoted political mutual trust, ensured 
security and stability, pursued prosperity and development, and upheld 
international justice, he added. 

"We were the first to call for fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism," 
Xi said, underscoring cooperation among SCO members states in curbing the 
spread of drug trafficking and holding counter-terrorism exercises and border 
control operations.

'Closer SCO community with a shared future'

The SCO has reached a "new historical starting point" after 20 years of 
development, President Xi said, calling for efforts to "build a closer SCO 
community with a shared future" and make further contributions to lasting 
global peace and common prosperity. 

The organization should stay committed to enhancing solidarity and cooperation, 
upholding common security, promoting openness and integration, boosting 
interactions and mutual learning, and upholding equity and justice, he said. 

The Chinese president called on SCO member states to enhance policy dialogue, 
communication and coordination and respect each other's legitimate concerns in 
their cooperation so as to keep the organization "on a steady course of 
development." 

"We should maintain firm confidence in our systems, reject condescending 
lecturing, and firmly support countries in exploring development paths and 
governance models that are compatible with their national conditions," he said. 
"We should keep the future of our countries' development and progress firmly in 
our own hands."

'Most pressing task'

Stressing that the fight against COVID-19 remains the "most pressing task," 
President Xi called for joint efforts among the member states to deepen 
cooperation against the pandemic, promote fair and equitable distribution of 
vaccines and firmly oppose any act of politicizing COVID-19 origins tracing. 

China has provided approximately 1.2 billion doses of finished and bulk 
vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations, he said, adding 
that China will step up efforts to provide a total of two billion doses to 
other countries this year.

To facilitate post-COVID economic recovery in the region, China will strive to 
reach $2.3 trillion in its cumulative trade with other SCO countries in the 
next five years, Xi said. 

China will also provide 1,000 training opportunities in poverty alleviation for 
other SCO countries in the next three years, he announced.

SCO cooperation on Afghanistan

President Xi called for tough actions from SCO member states to combat 
terrorism, separatism and extremism, including the East Turkestan Islamic 
Movement (ETIM). 

Commenting on the "daunting challenges" faced by Afghanistan after the 
withdrawal of foreign troops, he called on SCO member states to make full use 
of platforms such as the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group and facilitate a smooth 
transition in the country. 

"We need to encourage Afghanistan to put in place a broad-based and inclusive 
political framework, adopt prudent and moderate domestic and foreign policies, 
resolutely fight all forms of terrorism, live in amity with its neighbors and 
truly embark on a path of peace, stability and development," he stressed. 

The Afghan Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15 and announced the 
formation of a caretaker government earlier this month. China has urged the 
Taliban to make a clean break with all terrorist organizations, including the 
ETIM, and resolutely fight against them. The Taliban have pledged not to allow 
Afghan territory to be used "against anybody or any country in the world."

'Defenders of international order'

President Xi highlighted the SCO's role in upholding equity and justice in the 
world. "Acting from a so-called 'position of strength' is not the way to handle 
international affairs, and hegemonic, domineering and bullying acts should be 
firmly rejected," he said. 

"We need to practice true multilateralism and oppose actions that use the name 
of the so-called rules to undermine the international order and cause 
confrontation and division," he added. 

As the SCO launches procedures to admit Iran as a member state and Saudi 
Arabia, Egypt and Qatar as new dialogue partners, Xi expressed confidence that 
the "growing SCO family" will play roles as the "builders of world peace, 
contributors to global development and defenders of the international order."

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-09-17/Xi-Jinping-addresses-SCO-meeting-via-video-link-13D3zqRd34k/index.html


Source: CGTN