Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 20th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), to be hosted via video link by Russia, in Beijing on Tuesday.
The SCO was established in Shanghai in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017.
Xi has attended the SCO summits as the Chinese president every year since 2013 and made a series of speeches on the SCO's roles and development. The following are some highlights of his quotes.
-- A secure and stable environment is a prerequisite for mutually beneficial cooperation, and common development and prosperity. (Bishkek, 2013)
-- The SCO member states should stick to the win-win cooperation and the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development. (Dushanbe, 2014)
-- We should carry forward the silk road spirit and enhance public support for our friendship. With mutual trust and respect between our peoples, we will be able to build a harmonious, peaceful and prosperous homeland. (Ufa, 2015)
-- The SCO should remain open and transparent without targeting any third party, engage all like-minded international partners in wide-ranging cooperation and act as a constructive force for the healthy development of the international order. (Tashkent, 2016)
-- It is important for SCO countries to bring our people, youth in particular, closer to each other, so that the good-neighborliness and cooperation between us will be carried forward by the future generations. (Astana, 2017)
-- The world today faces both opportunities and challenges. The road ahead, bumpy as it may be, will lead to a promising future. We should stay committed to the "Shanghai Spirit," surmount difficulties, defuse risks and meet challenges head on. (Qingdao, 2018)
-- The SCO enjoys strong vitality and momentum of cooperation. This is attributed to the "Shanghai Spirit." (Qingdao, 2018)
-- We need to keep a profound understanding of the overriding trend toward multi-polarity and economic globalization, draw inspiration from the wisdom of the "Shanghai Spirit," and seek strength from solidarity and cooperation so as to jointly build a closer SCO community with a shared future. (Bishkek, 2019)
