From August 31 to September 1, the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be held in Tianjin, China.
Han Xuyling, a commentator for Chinese television network CGTN, shared insights on what opportunities this summit could bring for SCO member countries, The Caspian Post informs via Kazakh media.
The event is expected to gather over 20 national leaders along with heads of 10 international organizations. Han Xuyling emphasized China’s anticipation for the gathering.
“First of all, because this is an important event organized by China, and President Xi Jinping will present new initiatives for the further development of the SCO. In addition, new plans may be developed both in the traditional areas for the SCO, including regional security and trade and economic cooperation, as well as in new areas, such as sustainable development, environmental protection, green transformation, and the introduction of innovations. And, of course, we must not forget that this year marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. The SCO countries can present a united front in improving the global governance system and maintaining peace on the planet,” he noted.
China assumed the SCO chairmanship from Kazakhstan in July of the previous year following the summit in Astana, which for the first time hosted a meeting in the “SCO+” format.
“Since then, China has held more than a hundred events within the framework of the organization in various fields-from politics and defense to the cultural and humanitarian sphere-as well as continued to improve the mechanisms of the organization’s functioning and promote the ‘Shanghai Spirit,’ firmly defending the multilateral system,” Han Xuyling added.
He recalled that it was in Kazakhstan 12 years ago where President Xi Jinping first introduced the idea of creating the ‘Silk Road Economic Belt.’
“Kazakhstan has done much to align it with its national development strategy. Under the strategic leadership of the heads of state, contacts between China and Kazakhstan at all levels are becoming increasingly close. China remains Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner. Last year, the volume of bilateral trade exceeded 43.8 billion US dollars and reached a record level. Currently, two railway crossings operate between China and Kazakhstan, and construction of a third is underway,” he said.
He also highlighted that a logistics hub in the Chinese port city of Lianyungang provides Kazakhstan with direct access to the sea and the broader Asia-Pacific region. Green energy cooperation is on the rise, with the Zhanatas Wind Power Plant cited as a successful joint project.
Han Xuyling also pointed to strong collaboration in education, especially in vocational training.
“As Ambassador of Kazakhstan to China Shakhrat Nuryshev recently reported, the Kazakh ‘Silk Road Workshop’ will soon be transformed into such a Luban Workshop, making Kazakhstan the first country in the world to host three Luban Workshops at once. The Tianjin summit may bring even more practical projects for cooperation and raise the level of interaction within the organization to a new stage,” he concluded.
It was also previously announced by Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin that a package of agreements is expected to be signed at the conclusion of the 25th SCO Heads of State Council Meeting.
