Beijing backs truce bid in Syria (3)

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Beijing backs truce bid in Syria (3)

By WU JIAO in Bishkek and LI XIAOKUN in Beijing (China Daily) 11:14, September 14, 2013

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Terrorists have been increasingly active recently and have joined "East Turkistan" forces in causing a series of incidents in Central Asia and China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Chen said there is a risk of further political turmoil in Afghanistan after 2014, which may have a direct impact on Central Asian countries.

Afghanistan-based terrorist groups might also penetrate Central Asia, while the drug problem in Afghanistan is also likely to get out of control and affect other nations in the region.

Chen said the SCO will promote reconciliation among various political powers in Afghanistan and introduce the country to multilateral programs under the SCO framework to help with its economic development.

Sun Zhuangzhi, an expert in Central Asian studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that of the six countries bordering Afghanistan, three are SCO members, while two are SCO observers.

"Even Afghanistan itself is an SCO observer."

The SCO was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Iran, Afghanistan, India, Mongolia and Pakistan have the status of SCO observers.

On Friday, Xi also suggested carrying forward the spirit of the Silk Road.

In a speech in Kazakhstan on Sunday, he proposed establishing a Silk Road Economic Belt, similar to the original, ancient Silk Road, to improve cooperation between China and countries in Europe and Asia.
Xinhua contributed to this story.