SCO leaders discuss measures to improve regional cooperation

Source: PTI

  Prime Ministers of the six-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held talks in central China's Henan province on Tuesday to improve regional cooperation in areas like trade, investment, transportation and security. Welcoming foreign leaders to the meeting, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said that since it was established in 2001, the SCO has become an important force promoting regional stability, prosperity and development. He said he believed that every SCO meeting will contribute to cooperation between member countries as well as regional development, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The meeting was also attended by Minister of State for External Affairs General V K Singh. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also attended the two-day meeting in Zhengzhou that began on Monday. India and Pakistan which are SCO observers are due to join as regular members. During the meeting, heads of government from the SCO member states focused their talks on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, finance, transportation, security and culture. The SCO currently has six member states – China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as observers, and Belarus, Turkey and Sri Lanka as dialogue partners. Addressing the leaders of the SCO at a banquet last night Chinese Premier Li said China hopes the meeting will promote international industrial cooperation. Hailing the SCO as a model of good neighborliness and win-win cooperation, Li said the organisation has always adopted an approach of non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties in regional and international affairs. This, he said, has contributed to the stability, peace and prosperity of the world. “The gathering of leaders from SCO members, observers and international organisations shows the growing influence of the organisation, and the deep friendship and favourable atmosphere between members and observers,” Li said. “Amid the fragile global economic recovery and downward pressure on many economies, China expects this meeting will help countries match their development strategies, deepen international industrial capacity cooperation and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern,” Li said.  

December 15, 2015  | 04:00pm IST