Chairman of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, speaking at the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held in Tianjin, emphasized the importance of a multipolar and just international order. He stated that the SCO should strengthen cooperation for global justice and inclusive globalization, transforming into an effective force against hegemony.
The editorial office reports that the Chinese leader noted the organization has already become a huge cooperation platform uniting 26 countries and creating an economic potential of 30 trillion dollars. Xi Jinping proposed expanding cooperation in the fields of energy, green industry, digital economy, and artificial intelligence, providing $280 million in grant support for this year, offering $1.4 billion in credit opportunities to banks of member countries, and opening 10 new “Luban Workshops” over 5 years to provide vocational training to 10,000 people.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also spoke at the meeting, emphasizing the importance of the SCO creating more concrete mechanisms. He proposed establishing a permanent crisis committee composed of foreign ministers and strengthening the “SCO Special Accounts” mechanism. Pezeshkian also noted the importance of increasing trade in national currencies and creating a digital payment infrastructure.
Established in 1996 in the “Shanghai Five” format, the SCO is currently Eurasia's broadest political-economic platform with 10 members, 2 observers, and 14 dialogue partners. The organization covers 65 percent of Eurasia, 40 percent of the world's population, and 30 percent of global GDP. Azerbaijan is among its observer partners.
Sevinj Karimova