SCO summit in Qingdao to focus on promoting Shanghai Spirit

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ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Qingdao will focus on promoting the Shanghai Spirit, China's Ambassador to Belarus Cui Qiming said in an interview with Belarus 1 TV channel on 18 May, Kazinform has learned from BelTA.

"Since China took over the presidency in the SCO in June 2017, the Shanghai Spirit, i.e. the strengthening of solidarity and mutual trust, the overall stable development has become the main theme in our organization. This fundamental position has served to strengthen the international influence of the SCO and has been highly appreciated by all parties," the diplomat said.

The SCO Summit will be held in early June. In June 2017 after India and Pakistan joined the SCO at the summit in Astana, the potential for cooperation and international influence of the organization has significantly increased. It became the world's largest integrated regional organization and received widespread attention from the international community. "The upcoming summit in Qingdao will be attended by leaders of eight countries - SCO members and four observer states, among whom is the delegation of Belarus headed by Alexander Lukashenko that takes a special place. I would like to emphasize that the Belarusian president received an official invitation from President Xi Jinping. This underscores the strategic nature of our relations," Cui Qiming noted.

The summit will be also attended by representatives of the United Nations, the CIS, the CSTO, the ASEAN, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, the Eurasian Economic Union, the IMF, the World Bank and other reputable organizations. All in all 22 official delegations will come to Qingdao.

The plans are in place to sign the Qingdao Declaration. A three-year action plan will be also signed to implement the provisions of the Treaty on Long-Term Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between the SCO member states. "The program of cooperation in the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism is of particular importance. The document will cover the period through 2021 and will become the foundation for maintaining peace and security in the SCO zone of responsibility. It is expected that a number of documents on cooperation in the economic, humanitarian and many other areas will be signed following the talks of the heads of state in Qingdao," the ambassador said.

According to the diplomat, China attaches great importance to the effective integration of the Silk Road Economic Belt with the Eurasian Economic Union. "There are certain difficulties with the implementation of the project, but we are happy to see a positive momentum in overcoming them. We hope that the upcoming summit in Qingdao will give a new impetus to this strategic direction. I personally have high hopes for the forthcoming talks in Qingdao and I believe that the project of aligning the economic interests, including of the participating states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, will be effectively implemented," Cui Qiming said.

 

 

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