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Russia's defense chief arrives in Beijing

Sergei Shoigu will take part in a meeting of military chiefs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has arrived in Beijing to take part in a meeting of military chiefs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Tuesday, his press secretary Rossiyana Markovskaya told reporters.

"The heads of defense ministries of Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will exchange views on topical issues of international and regional security. They will discuss joint measures on consolidating efforts for adequate response to new challenges and threats in the SCO zone of responsibility," Markovskaya said.

During the meeting, the sides will summarize military cooperation over the past year and consider promising areas for further military cooperation in the framework of the organization.

The participants of the meeting will also open the fifth international military music festival of the SCO member-states.

The Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was inked in China’s Shanghai in June 2001 by six founding states - Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. On June 9, 2017 India and Pakistan became full-fledged members of the SCO.

Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia currently enjoy observer status while Sri Lanka, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia and Nepal are dialogue partners.