Xi chairs restricted session of SCO summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday chaired a restricted session of the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in east China's coastal city of Qingdao.

Leaders of the SCO member states enter the conference hall for a restricted session of the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Qingdao on Sunday, June 10, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua]

Xi called on the SCO to carry on fine traditions, actively cope with challenges within and outside the region, and promote comprehensive cooperation in various areas, in a bid to ensure a steady and sustainable operation of the SCO.

At the session, Xi raised four proposals on the development of the SCO.

-- The SCO should advance the Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development, and enhance solidarity and coordination.

-- The SCO should upgrade security cooperation and effectively crack down upon "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism.

-- The SCO should work for shared development, make bigger moves in industrial cooperation, market integration, and exchanges of technologies and share huge development potential in Eurasia. They should jointly express support for free trade and trade facilitation, and safeguard the multilateral trade system.

-- The SCO should play constructive roles and show commitment in international affairs, promoting a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation, and upholding the principle of resolving hotspot issues through political and diplomatic means.

Xi called on SCO member states to remain true to the original aspiration of the SCO and work together for a more closely-connected community with a shared future.

The other leaders of the SCO member states highly appreciated China's contribution after it took over the SCO rotating presidency, and agreed that this summit is of historic significance.

They agreed that, with two new member states, the SCO has improved its ability to cooperate in all areas and had increasing responsibilities in maintaining regional security and stability, and promoting prosperity.

The leaders held that, under the new circumstances, the SCO should continue upholding the Shanghai Spirit and make sure a sustainable, healthy, and stable development.

The leaders decided that the 2019 SCO summit will be held in Kyrgyzstan.