Pakistan’s joining gives impetus to SCO, says Xi

BEIJING: President Xi Jinping said the new progress has been made by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) since the accession of Pakistan.

On behalf of leaders of the SCO member states, Xi made the remarks at a joint press conference in the coastal city of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. Xi congratulated Pakistan for joining the SCO as full member, hopping that it will enhance strength of the organization in addressing the future challenges.

Several documents were issued during the summit, including the Qingdao Declaration of the Council of Heads of Member States of the SCO, and the Joint Statement of the Heads of Member States of the SCO on Promoting Trade Facilitation, Xi said.

The summit also ratified a five-year action plan for implementing the Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of the SCO Member States, he noted. "We have agreed to abide by the goals and principles of the SCO Charter, carry forward the Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development, and jointly pursue regional peace, stability and development by promoting good-neighborliness and friendship and deepening practical cooperation," Xi said.

While chairing SCO summit, President Xi said “We should, guided by the Shanghai Spirit, work closely to build an SCO community with a shared future, move toward a new type of international relations, and build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity,” Xi said.