Chinese president raises proposal on SCO cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C, front) attends the 13th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 13, 2013. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday put forward a proposal on boosting comprehensive cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).  [Special coverage]

Addressing an SCO summit here, Xi said the SCO members should carry forward the "Shanghai Spirit," which features mutual trust, mutual benefits, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development.

The SCO countries should support each other on issues related to sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, political system, social stability, and development models, the Chinese president said.

He urged all SCO members to conduct mutually-beneficial cooperation based on equality and consultation, so that they will become good neighbors, good friends and good partners.

On regional security and stability, Xi called for the implementation of a convention on combating the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and the establishment of a center for comprehensive response to security threats and challenges.

The SCO members, he said, should work jointly to combat the "three evil forces," help Afghanistan realize peace and stability, and safeguard regional security.

On practical cooperation, the Chinese president called on all members to carry forward the Silk Road spirit.

Xi said an agreement on facilitation of international road transportation should be signed speedily within the SCO so as to build transport corridors connecting the Baltic Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and linking Central Asia with the Indian Ocean and with the Gulf.

The SCO countries should also explore a trade and investment facilitation agreement, promote economic and financial cooperation, establish an SCO development bank and an energy club, and put in place a cooperation mechanism for food security, he added.

On cultural exchanges, the Chinese president called for closer people-to-people communication to build strong public support for the SCO's future development.

China will establish a joint judicial exchange and training center with the SCO at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law to train judicial professionals for other SCO members, Xi said.

Meanwhile, Xi also stressed that China attaches great importance to the Syrian situation and supports the international community's efforts in striving for a cease-fire and peace talks.

Beijing supports Russia's proposal that Syria surrender its chemical weapons to international control for their eventual destruction, he said, adding that China is ready to enhance communication and coordination with related parties through the UN Security Council, and will continue its unremitting efforts in facilitating a political settlement.

The leaders of the SCO members agreed to jointly fight the "three evil forces," drug-trafficking and transnational organized crimes, deepen cooperation in economy, culture, science, tourism and health, and safeguard regional and global security with other countries and organizations.

The leaders also vowed to give full play to the leading role of the United Nations and peacefully solve international and regional disputes through political means.

On the Syria crisis, the SCO leaders called for an immediate end to violence, an early start of inclusive political dialogues and the convening of an international conference.

The SCO, an inter-governmental organization founded in Shanghai in June 2001, groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

It also has Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as observers, and Belarus, Sri Lanka and Turkey as dialogue partners.

The Chinese president arrived here Tuesday for a state visit to Kyrgyzstan and for the SCO summit. Before that, he visited Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and attended a Group of 20 summit in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.