SCO aims to enrich partnership through expanded economic, cultural cooperation
According to Xinhua, the SCO's 10th prime ministers' meeting, which ended late Monday in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, was held in the "Year of Good-Neighborliness and Friendship," a theme adopted by SCO member countries.
The meeting highlighted economic and trade cooperation within the six-nation bloc that groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
"Amid increasing uncertainties in global markets, the SCO member states should further strengthen economic cooperation in a bid to minimize negative effects of the global crisis on their countries' banking and financial sectors," the prime ministers said in a joint declaration late Monday.
The growing trade ties dovetail with the SCO's ambitious integration endeavors to realize the free flow of goods, capital, services and technology by 2020.
As important emerging economies, the SCO member states will benefit from closer intra-SCO economic cooperation and the boosting of its regional economy.
The economic prosperity of the six SCO member countries will have a positive influence on the growth and stability of a wider Euroasia region and the world at large.
In addition, deepened economic and trade cooperation within the SCO also helps consolidate mutual political trust among member states.
The recent international financial crisis has further made it necessary to promote closer economic cooperation within the SCO. To turn challenges into opportunities demands the wisdom and courage of all member states to bridge their differences and actively seek common grounds on issues of debate for the benefits of the people.
In addition to economic and trade cooperation, this year's prime ministers' meeting also highlighted people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation.
In the joint communique issued Monday, leaders of the six member states voiced support for the deepening of cooperation in social and cultural realms to reinforce the friendship and good-neighborliness among the peoples of the SCO member countries.
Meanwhile, diverse art festivals, youth festivals, exhibitions and forums have been held under the SCO framework, consolidating the traditional friendship within SCO member countries.
In a six-nation bloc that speaks six different languages, cultural cooperation is indispensable for achieving easier communication and supporting broader people-to-people exchanges.
It will help lay a solid foundation for cooperation in politics, economy and trade, military and foreign affairs, and promote the long-term peace and development of the Euroasian countries.
