MOSCOW, May 26 -- The current development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is facing new opportunities and challenges, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Friday.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the signing of the SCO Charter and the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation by SCO members, Wang said during a press conference following a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
Under the collective efforts of all members, the SCO has grown into a new type of regional cooperative organization with advanced ideas on cooperation and significant international influence, which plays an important role in promoting regional peace and development, he said.
The minister pointed out that the organization is facing new opportunities and challenges in its development.
After India and Pakistan complete the process of joining the SCO during the upcoming Astana summit, the SCO will become the world's most populous and largest regional cooperative organization, which will bring uNPRecedented development capacity and cooperation potential, Wang said.
In the face of the rise of protectionism and regional security, Wang said, SCO should adhere to and be support of trade liberalization and facilitate and promote the process of economic integration.
Meanwhile, the SCO should promote security cooperation to combat the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism in a more precise and efficient manner, so as to safeguard the sovereignty and homeland security of all members and maintain the regional peace and stability, Wang added.
Wang said that China will take over the SCO rotating presidency after the Astana summit, adding that Beijing is actively making a work plan that covers six major fields including politics, economy, security, humanities, foreign relations and mechanism building.
China is willing to work with Russia and other member countries to promote the SCO solidarity and make cooperations among SCO members more efficient and more effective, Wang said.