Chinese leader calls for further development of SCO

Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday called for better development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as he met with the its new general secretary Dmitry Mezentsev. The international situation is witnessing profound and complex changes, said Xi, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. He said it is in the fundamental interests of all SCO members as well conducive to regional and world peace and stability to develop the organization and boost neighborly and friendly cooperation in a sustained way to better counter new threats and challenges, . Xi said he hopes the SCO will implement well the consensus reached by leaders of the organization's member states and play an important role in safeguarding regional security and stability as well as driving the common prosperity among all the members. Mezentsev said the secretariat will cooperate closely with China to prepare for the SCO's Bishkek summit this year and make contributions to further develop the organization. Mezentsev is from Russia and replaced Muratbek Imanaliyev, a representative of Kyrgyzstan, on Jan. 1. His term will last three years.