President Xi stresses cooperation,joint efforts to tackle terrorism

Chinese President Xi Jinping is calling on members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to come together to battle terrorism.

Addressing the annual summit of SCO leaders in Astana, Kazakhstan, Xi Jinping has issued a call for more to be done on a regional level to tackle terrorism.

"Regional integration and economic globalization are the irresistible trend of the day. Seeking development through cooperation is the only choice for the member states. China appreciates all member countries for their supports and participation in the Belt and Road initiative and would like to implement the outcomes of the forum on international cooperation and to push the interconnection and cooperation between the development strategies of all member countries according to the principles of joint consultation, joint contribution and sharing of benefits."

Xi Jinping has also announced that China will contribute an additional 10 million yuan or 1.5 million U.S. dollars to the SCO Secretariat to facilitate its work.

On issues of security, the Chinese president says the fight against terrorism remains arduous task.

"China supports the enforcement of the SCO Convention on Combating Extremism. This will effectively contain the spread of extremism. To enhance the capacity of member states in coordination and implementation in the security field, China calls for the SCO to strengthen regional counter-terrorism institutional building and resolutely crack down on illicit drug manufacturing and trafficking. China is willing to host again the SCO joint counter-terrorism cyber exercise."

This year's session has also seen the SCO accept India and Pakistan as full members.

This represents the first expansion of the SCO since the organization's founding in 2002.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

"During summit of the SCO in Astana, the organization takes a brand new look. This is the last time that the meeting is held between six members. Today we'll officially let India and Pakistan be new members. This will bring new momentum to the organization. "

China is now the rotating chair of the SCO, and will play host to next year's Leader's Summit in June 2018.