SCO to play bigger role in regional, international affairs: Chinese FM

BEIJING, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday voiced expectations that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will advance cooperation across various fields with a broader scope, wider range and deeper level, while playing a bigger and more constructive role in regional and international affairs.

"The growth of the SCO family demonstrates the strong appeal of the SCO cooperation concepts," Wang said in an interview on the outcomes and significance of Chinese President Xi Jinping's attendance of the 21st meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO via video link on Friday.

The meeting has launched procedures to admit Iran as a member state of the SCO, as well as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar as new dialogue partners.

It is believed that the SCO will continue to uphold the Shanghai Spirit, develop friendly ties and promote cooperation with other countries and international organizations, while advancing the building of a closer community with a shared future and ushering in a new development chapter for the SCO, he said.

Noting that Xi's speech at the summit summarized experiences of the SCO's development over the past two decades and introduced China's proposals for the organization's future, Wang said it shows that China, as a founding member, attaches importance to and leads the development of the SCO.

Leaders attending the summit spoke highly of China's proposals and agreed to deepen cooperation across various fields, forge ahead on a new journey of SCO cooperation and seek new development, he said, adding that the outcomes of the summit will promote the SCO's future development as well as regional and global peace and stability.

Wang called for upholding the Shanghai Spirit to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, pursuing common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, promoting pragmatic cooperation as well as openness and integration, boosting interactions and mutual learning, and upholding equity and justice.

The summit approved a joint recommended action plan from 2021 to 2023 on eliminating the adverse economic and social effects of COVID-19, showing member states' confidence and resolve to jointly tackle the pandemic and promote common development, he said.

The summit also approved multiple documents on the fight against the three forces (of terrorism, separatism and extremism), counter-narcotics, and guaranteeing international information security.

In terms of pragmatic cooperation, the summit approved cooperation documents on the green economy and food security, and decided to establish the mechanism for the member states' industry and energy ministers' meeting, according to Wang.

The summit released a statement on enhancing technology and innovation cooperation, which was proposed by China, approved cooperation documents on environmental protection, culture, tourism and youth, and welcomed China's hosting of the 2022 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

"This shows the common aspiration of the SCO member states to make the outcomes of the organization's development bring more benefit to the people," Wang said.