Chinese permier's visit aims for greater SCO development, regional prosperity

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's just-concluded visit to Russia focuses on pursuing a sound and stable development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and regional prosperity and stability, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Tuesday. Wen returned to Beijing Tuesday evening after attending the 10th prime ministers' meeing of the SCO member states in S. Petersburg. The current international and regional situation was complex and volatile, and factors that may trigger instability and uncertainty for the global economic recovery were prominent, Yang told reporters on his way back from the Russian city of St. Petersburg. He said it had been a common and urgent task facing all SCO members to maintain internal stability, spur economic growth and improve people's livelihoods. Yang said the SCO was at a critical moment after its first 10 years of development, with both challenges and opportunities lying ahead. And it had been Premier Wen's key objective, as well as the common expectation of other SCO members, to plan for the future, enhance solidarity and trust and step up cooperation for the next decade. The Chinese premier gave a thorough analysis of SCO's current status and its obligations, elaborated China's views on the regional organization's development and tabled a series of proposals for deepening cooperation within the SCO, according to the Chinese foreign minister. PROMOTING SCO'S FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Yang said leaders at the summit reviewed the progress the SCO had made in various fields, discussed the current international and regional situation and mapped out the SCO's development in the next phase with a focus on implementing the consensus reached at the Astana summit in June. Wen told the meeting, as the international structure was experiencing a significant change and adjustment, the SCO should not only weather the challenges, but also grasp the opportunity to grow stronger and benefit regional populations so as to make a contribution to establishing a new international political and economic order that was fair and rational, Yang said. Wen also made a series of proposals on deepening cooperation within the SCO, such as building a multi-level and multi-channel financing cooperation system, diversifying their energy supply, optimizing the food security cooperation mechanism, and stepping up exchanges among youth, according to Yang. The foreign minister said the Joint Communique of Meeting of Council of Heads of Government of SCO Member States stressed further consolidation and development of the organization, while the Joint Statement of SCO Member States Heads of Government on World and Regional Economic Situation focused on the significance of further developing SCO economic cooperation in the context of the global economic and financial crisis. BOOSTING CHINA'S TIES WITH NATIONS CONCERNED Wen held a series of bilateral talks with leaders present at the SCO meeting, which boosted mutual trust and cooperation between China and these countries, Yang said. During his meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the two leaders agreed that China and Russia should work together to make greater contributions to safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. While meeting with his Pakistani counterpart, Yusuf Raza Gilani, Wen said China would continue to provide assistance for Pakistan's economic and social development, the minister said. He also said the two premiers pledged to carry out the consensus they had reached, and use the 60th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic ties as a fresh start for elevating their relations to a higher level and better serving the two peoples. Wen and Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov agreed to enhance strategic communication and coordination between the two sides, deepen exchanges and cooperation, and seek continuous development of their comprehensive strategic partnership, Yang said. While meeting with Tajik Prime Minister Akil Akilov, Wen said China is willing to work with Tajikistan to meet the challenges, deepen mutual trust and promote bilateral cooperation.