Asia-Pacific

SCO summit convenes to formulate future mission

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-15 13:33

ASTANA - Leaders of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) met in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, Wednesday to celebrate the 10th birthday of the organization and formulate the SCO's missions for the next decade.

At the summit, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and other leaders of the SCO members will review the achievements the organization had made in the past decade and work out strategies for its future.

President Hu is expected to deliver a speech at the summit to expound China's propositions on the development of the SCO in the next decade, including how to strengthen good-neighborly friendship, regional security, practical cooperation, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, according to Chinese officials.

Special coverage:  Hu attends SCO summit

"The heads of state of the SCO members will make arrangements for expanding cooperation in the sectors of politics, security, economy and people-to-people and cultural exchanges and for strengthening capacity building of the SCO," said Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping at a press briefing last week.

President Hu will discuss with leaders of other SCO member states about how to expand economic cooperation, Cheng said, adding that China will provide more financial assistance to other member states within its ability.

Founded on June 15, 2001, the SCO groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran and India are observers of the organization.

In the past decade, the SCO has played a positive role in promoting regional peace and stability and in advancing economic and social development of the member states.