Xi expects SCO Qingdao summit to be a success

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Erlan Abdyldaev, Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojidin Aslov, Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Rashid Alimov and director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) Executive Committee Yevgeniy Sysoyev in Beijing, capital of China, April 23, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua]

Chinese president Xi Jinping says boosting the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a diplomatic priority.

He made the remark while meeting with foreign ministers and senior officials from member countries ahead of the upcoming SCO summit in Qingdao.

Foreign ministers from SCO member countries are in Beijing to attend today's meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers.

Xi Jinping says the organization, established nearly 17 years ago, has undergone an extraordinary development process and is now a comprehensive regional organization.

"Member countries have promoted cooperation in various areas and played constructive roles in regional and international issues, and therefore set an example of a new-type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation. Currently, the SCO is proceeding steadily in six areas, namely politics, economy, security, people-to-people exchanges, and external exchanges with comprehensive cooperation continuing to improve."

Foreign ministers from Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan along with other senior officials of the SCO will attend the meeting.

Under the new circumstances, president Xi calls on all of the member countries to firmly advocate the "Shanghai Spirit" which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development.

Xi Jinping said China is ready to work with other member countries to continue to support each other politically and safeguard regional security and stability.

During a separate meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Xi Jinping says he's looking forward to planning China-Russia ties with Putin in the new era.

President Xi says he is looking forward to President Putin's China visit in June.

"I hope to boost friendship with President Putin, jointly plan China-Russia ties in a new era, and discuss the future development of the SCO together with the leaders of other SCO member countries."

The Chinese president adds the China-Russia high-level bilateral relationship is the "precious wealth of both countries."

"The China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has maintained positive development momentum. I believe that with the efforts of both sides, China-Russia ties will make new achievements."

For his part, Lavrov says President Putin looks forward to visiting China and attending the SCO Qingdao summit.

He adds his country agrees that the two nations need to further enhance coordination within multilateral frameworks.

Leaders of the SCO member countries will gather in China's coastal city of Qingdao for a summit in just over one month.