"SCO Bears Great Responsibility
for Promoting Development and Prosperity of All Countries"
Chinese President Xi Jinping stated at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which opened on August 31, that "the SCO will unite the strength of the Global South and make a greater contribution to the development of human civilization."
According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, President Xi hosted a welcome banquet for the SCO summit at the Meijiang International Convention Center in Tianjin on the same day. In his speech, he said, "This summit carries the important mission of reaching consensus among all parties, driving the momentum of cooperation, and presenting a blueprint for future development."
President Xi stated, "Since its establishment, the SCO has consistently adhered to the Shanghai Spirit, strengthening unity and mutual trust." He added, "Through practical cooperation, the organization has actively participated in international and regional issues, becoming an important force in promoting a new type of international relations and building a community with a shared future for humanity." He continued, "The world is undergoing the fastest changes in a century, with a marked increase in instability, uncertainty, and unpredictability." He emphasized, "At such a time, the SCO bears an even greater responsibility to safeguard regional peace and stability and to promote the development and prosperity of all member states." He also said, "I believe that, through the joint efforts of all countries, this summit will undoubtedly conclude successfully. The SCO will play an even greater role, achieve further development, and promote unity and cooperation among its member states."
Prior to the summit, President Xi held a series of bilateral meetings at the Tianjin State Guesthouse with world leaders who visited China for the event, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
It is reported that President Xi also had an informal conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to the welcome banquet. According to Russia's TASS news agency, "President Xi and President Putin had a brief conversation before the SCO summit began." The agency also reported, "President Putin was the last to arrive at the Meijiang International Convention Center, where he was greeted by President Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan."
The SCO summit, which opened on this day and is being held over two days, is attended by more than 20 heads of state, including President Putin and Prime Minister Modi, as well as leaders of 10 international organizations. During the summit, they are expected to set major cooperation goals in the Tianjin Declaration and approve the SCO development strategy for 2035. It is also reported that they will issue a statement commemorating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the victory in World War II.
Two days after the closing of the SCO summit, on September 3, a military parade marking the "80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War (Victory Day 80th Anniversary)" will be held in Beijing. The parade will be attended by North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un, President Putin, and leaders from Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Iran. From South Korea, National Assembly Speaker Woo Wonshik is listed among the participants.
President Xi is expected to showcase anti-Western solidarity following the SCO summit by bringing together the leaders of North Korea, China, and Russia for the first time at the parade.
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