China to host friendly, united, fruitful SCO summit next year: vice foreign minister

BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- China will host a friendly, united and fruitful Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit next year, Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong said Monday.

Sun said China has taken the rotating presidency of the SCO for 2024-2025, and will host the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO next year.

As the first international organization with China as a founding member state and named after a Chinese city, Sun said the SCO, guided by the Shanghai Spirit since its establishment in 2001, has successfully embarked on a path of peaceful development and set an example for building a new type of international relations.

He stated that China will work with SCO member states to uphold unity and cooperation, implement the series of global initiatives put forward by China, and make positive contributions to the lasting peace and common prosperity of the world.

Outlining China's vision during its presidency, Sun said China's work will revolve around a central theme, namely the "SCO Year of Sustainable Development," including cooperation in sectors such as poverty alleviation, food security, public health, development financing, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy and connectivity.

Sun noted that China will formulate the SCO summit declaration and the SCO development strategy for the next stage, adding that the country will host over 100 meetings and activities within the SCO framework to further deepen practical cooperation in various fields.