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Chinese leader calls on SCO members to enhance mutual trust

According to Xi Jinping, all the SCO countries should respect each other’s independent path of development and key interests
Chinese President Xi Jinping Etienne Oliveau/Pool Photo via AP
Chinese President Xi Jinping
© Etienne Oliveau/Pool Photo via AP

QINGDAO /China/, June 10. /TASS/. There is a need to enhance the unity of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries and bolster mutual trust, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said at an extended session of the SCO summit in China’s Qingdao, which involved member states, observers and representatives of a number of international organizations.

"There is a need to bolster strength, unity and mutual trust, it is important to fully implement the Qingdao Declaration and the action plan for the implementation of the Treaty for Long-term Good-Neighborly Relations, Friendship and Cooperation between the SCO states," he said. According to Xi Jinping, all the SCO countries should respect each other’s independent path of development and key interests, enhancing mutual understanding, harmony and unity, seeking to resolve disagreements and "increasing the organization’s uniting and appealing power."

"There is a need to lay a solid foundation for ensuring common peace and security, actively implement the 2019-2021 program for cooperation in countering the three forces of evil [terrorism, separatism and extremism - TASS], continue to conduct the Peace Mission joint counter-terrorism drills, boost defense, security and information security cooperation, as well as cooperation between law enforcement agencies," the Chinese leader added.

The Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was singed in China’s Shanghai in June 2001 by six founding states - Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan were granted SCO membership on June 9, 2017. Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia currently enjoy observer status, while Sri Lanka, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia and Nepal are dialogue partners.