Xi attends restricted session of SCO Samarkand summit

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has attended here the restricted session of the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

Chinese President Xi Jinping poses for a group photo with other leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states before the restricted session of the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO at the International Conference Center in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.      --Photo Xinhua

The meeting was chaired by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and attended by leaders of SCO member states including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The leaders exchanged views on SCO development and major international and regional issues bearing on the political and economic situation in the region.
At 9:55 am local time, Xi and leaders of other SCO member states arrived at the Samarkand Congress Center and received warm welcome from Mirziyoyev. The leaders took a group photo before the restricted session started.
In his statement, Xi spoke highly of Uzbekistan’s hard work and important contribution to preparing for the Samarkand summit and advancing SCO’s development under its presidency.
Xi pointed out that since the founding of the SCO more than twenty years ago, it has upheld the Shanghai Spirit and succeeded in exploring a new path for the development of international organisations. There is much we can draw on from its rich practices, he said.
It is important to forge political trust, Xi said, adding that guided by the vision of forging enduring friendship and peace among the SCO member states, the member states respect each other’s core interests and choice of development path and support each other in achieving peace, stability, development and rejuvenation.
Noting that it is important to pursue win-win cooperation, Xi said that the SCO member states accommodate each other’s interests, stay true to the principle of consultation and cooperation for shared benefits, enhance synergy between our respective development strategies, and keep to the path of win-win cooperation toward common prosperity.
It is important to treat each other as equals, the Chinese president said, adding that the SCO member states are committed to the principle of equality among all countries regardless of their size, consensus-based decision-making, and addressing issues through friendly consultations. The SCO member states reject the practice of the strong bullying the weak or the big bullying the small, he noted.
Noting that it is important to advocate openness and inclusiveness, Xi said that the SCO member states stand for harmonious coexistence and mutual learning between different countries, nations and cultures, dialogue between civilisations and seeking common ground while shelving differences. We are ready to establish partnership and develop win-win cooperation with other countries and international organisations that share our vision, he said.
Xi stressed that the world today is not a peaceful place. Rivalry between two sets of policy choices - unity or division, cooperation or confrontation - is getting more acute. This brings shocks to world peace and stability and is detrimental to the long-term development of the region.

(Latest Update September 19, 2022)