SCO countries remain China's important partners: Chinese FM

ASTANA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have been important partners for China in high-level opening-up and high-quality development, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday during a meeting of the SCO Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs here.

Valuing the SCO's role, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the Shanghai Spirit, which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development, has become the fundamental principle of the SCO's continuous growth and a banner for promoting new types of international relations.

The more the world is entangled in turmoils, the more we need to uphold the Shanghai Spirit, hold on in the right direction, and make the SCO more effective in safeguarding common interests, addressing various challenges, and defending fairness and justice, he said.

Wang put forward four suggestions during the meeting: to maintain strategic autonomy and strengthen unity and cooperation; to share security responsibilities and lift cooperation to higher levels; to pursue inclusive and win-win cooperation and empower joint development; and to embrace openness and inclusiveness and deepen exchanges and mutual learning.

China is willing to work with SCO partners to actively advocate for a multipolar world with equality and order and inclusive economic globalization, promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and create a better future together, Wang said.

At the meeting, the foreign ministers spoke highly of the roles and achievements of the SCO, and agreed to strengthen the fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism so as to maintain regional peace and stability.

They also agreed that hot issues should be resolved by political and diplomatic means, while all parties should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, uphold the authority of the United Nations Charter, oppose unilateralism, and promote world multipolarity.

Preparations were mulled during the meeting for the SCO Summit to be held in July in Astana.

Before the meeting, the foreign ministers observed a moment of silence in remembrance of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who lost their lives in a recent helicopter crash.

Wang also participated in a group meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and held talks with foreign ministers of Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, respectively.