On September 16, Samarkand was warm. President Xi Jinping is here to attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Charter. How does the world’s largest and most populous comprehensive regional organization respond to challenges and build on its past?
This year is also the 10th consecutive year that President Xi has attended the SCO Summit. At a critical moment when human society is standing at a crossroads, what important propositions will he put forward?
01
The “SCO family” gathered offline for the first time since the epidemic
On September 16, this year’s SCO summit was held at the Samarkand International Conference Center. This is the first time that the leaders of the member states have gathered offline since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic. The SCO summits in the previous two years were held in the form of video and a combination of online and offline methods.
△Samarkand International Conference Center. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Yang Xinyu)
On the morning of the same day, President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, as the head of state of the presidency, came to the scene ahead of schedule, ready to welcome the arrival of leaders of various countries.
△President Mirziyoyev is waiting for the arrival of the leaders of other SCO member states. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Ma Chao)
On the morning of the same day, the leaders of the eight SCO member states, including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan, took a group photo first, and then held small-scale talks at the summit. Everyone exchanged views on the development of the SCO and major international and regional issues related to the political and economic situation in the region.
△Before the small-scale talks, leaders of the SCO member states took a group photo here. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Guo Hong)
Afterwards, large-scale talks were held at the summit. In addition to the leaders of the eight member states, there were also the leaders of the three observer states of Belarus, Iran and Mongolia, as well as Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey as the guests of the presidency. leader. The Samarkand summit became the most attended summit of leaders in the history of the SCO.
△The scene before the start of the large-scale meeting. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Lu Xinyu)
After the talks that day, leaders of the SCO member states signed and issued the Samarkand Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States.
02
These Chinese advocates inject positive energy into the world
During the small-scale talks and large-scale talks on September 16, President Xi Jinping delivered important speeches.
During the small-scale talks, President Xi suggested to focus on four aspects of work. First, adhere to promoting the “Shanghai Spirit” and consolidate unity and cooperation; second, adhere to strategic independence and maintain regional stability; third, adhere to inclusiveness and promote development cooperation ; Fourth, insist on promoting the process of expanding staff and improving the construction of organizational mechanism.
△ At the small-scale meeting, President Xi Jinping made a speech here. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Huang Jinghui)
In the subsequent large-scale talks, President Xi delivered an important speech entitled “Grasp the Trend of the Times, Strengthen Solidarity and Cooperation to Create a Bright Future”.
Under the new situation, as an important constructive force in international and regional affairs, how can the Shanghai Cooperation Organization undertake its mission and move forward steadily? President Xi put forward five important propositions, namely, increasing mutual support, expanding security cooperation, deepening practical cooperation, strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and adhering to multilateralism.
△Before the large-scale talks, all the participating parties took a group photo here. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Guo Hong)
The world today is not peaceful. The game competition between the two policy orientations of unity and division, cooperation and confrontation has become increasingly prominent. In his speech, President Xi pointed out that being keen to engage in “small circles” will push the world towards division and confrontation. We need to get rid of zero-sum games and bloc politics.
He emphasized that it is necessary to uphold fairness and justice, abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, always proceed from the right and wrong of the matter itself, handle major international and regional issues, and oppose harming the legitimate rights and interests of other countries for selfish interests.
△The scene before the start of the large-scale meeting. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Lu Xinyu)
For the SCO member states to work together to cope with the complex changes in the external environment, strategic communication and political mutual trust are crucial.
In his speech, President Xi stressed that it is necessary to strengthen high-level exchanges and strategic communication, deepen mutual understanding and political mutual trust, support each other’s efforts to safeguard security and development interests, jointly oppose interference in other countries’ internal affairs under any pretext, and firmly grasp the future and destiny of the country. in their own hands.
△ This is the Chinese table signing at the small-scale meeting. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Huang Jinghui)
During this trip to Central Asia, the global development initiative and global security initiative proposed by President Xi have been actively supported and responded by leaders of relevant countries. In his important speech at the SCO Summit, President Xi welcomed all parties to participate in the implementation of the global security initiative, and is willing to work with all parties to promote the global development initiative to take root in the region.
Facts have proved that China is not only a proponent of important initiatives, but also an activist who implements them.
03
Fruitful results, new milestones
In a signed article published on the eve of his visit to Uzbekistan, President Xi Jinping said that he believes that with the joint efforts of all parties, the Samarkand Summit will achieve fruitful results, and will help build a closer SCO community with a shared future and promote regional peace, stability and development. greater contribution to prosperity.
On September 16, the Samarkand summit ended after a series of important results. This summit will also become a new milestone in promoting the future development of the SCO.
△Samarkand International Conference Center. (Photographed by Pan Yi, a reporter from China Central Radio Station)
One of the remarkable achievements is that the “SCO family” ushered in a new round of the largest “expansion”.
In 2017, with the official accession of India and Pakistan, the SCO completed its first “member expansion” since its establishment, and the number of member countries increased to 8. At this year’s summit, President Xi said that recently, more and more countries have applied to join the “SCO family”, which fully shows that the concept of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and its development prospects are widely optimistic.
△ A photojournalist who took a group photo of the leaders of the SCO member states. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Guo Hong)
After the Dushanbe summit in September last year started the process of accepting Iran as a member state and the inclusion of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar as new dialogue partners, this year’s summit signed a memorandum on Iran’s obligations to join the SCO, approving Saudi Arabia and other three countries as new dialogue partners. Dialogue partners, and started the Belarusian accession process, and absorbed Bahrain and other five countries as dialogue partners.
President Xi said at the summit that promoting the development and expansion of the organization and exerting its positive influence will inject positive energy and create new vitality in maintaining the lasting peace and common prosperity of the Eurasian continent and the world. Work”.
△Samarkand, the summit sign near the airport. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Yang Xinyu)
The Samarkand Summit is the one with the richest outcome documents in the history of the SCO, including four major statements on maintaining international food security, international energy security, addressing climate change, and maintaining the security, stability and diversification of supply chains. These are the focal issues that the world is facing severe challenges and urgently need to be solved effectively.
President Xi stressed at the summit that it is necessary to implement the relevant statements adopted at this summit. He also announced a series of specific measures by China. For example, China will provide emergency humanitarian assistance such as food worth 1.5 billion yuan to developing countries in need, and China will hold a forum on industrial and supply chains next year.
△Samarkand, the gate of the eternal city. (Photographed by Li Jin, a reporter from China National Broadcasting Corporation)
04
The friendship that spans the mountains and seas has been persistent for ten years
On the morning of the 16th, before the SCO Samarkand Summit, President Xi Jinping also met with three leaders who came to attend the summit, namely Iranian President Lehi, Turkish President Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shabazz. .
△The three meetings were all held at the Samarkand State Guest House. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Liu Qi)
Since Rahi was elected president of Iran in August last year, President Xi has spoken to him twice by phone. Not long ago, Leahy also attended the high-level dialogue on global development hosted by President Xi via video.
During the meeting that day, President Xi congratulated Iran on its upcoming membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on behalf of China. President Leahy said that this will help Iran and China strengthen cooperation within the international and regional multilateral frameworks.
△The scene before the Sino-Iran meeting begins. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Zhang Yu)
Turkey is a dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and an important member of the G20. It was also an invited country for the “BRICS+” leaders’ dialogue. President Xi has met with President Erdogan many times.
During this meeting, President Xi said that China and Turkey, both major developing countries and emerging market countries, share many common interests in defending their own rights and interests, pursuing development and revitalization, and safeguarding international justice.
Pakistan is one of the youngest member states of the SCO. The SCO Qingdao Summit in 2018 was the first time Pakistan participated as a member state.
Shabazz, who attended the SCO Samarkand Summit this time, just took office as Prime Minister of Pakistan in April this year. This is also the first time he has met with President Xi as prime minister. President Xi said that no matter how the international situation changes, China and Pakistan are each other’s trusted strategic partners. Prime Minister Shabazz said that the friendship between Pakistan and China is unbreakable and incomparable.
△The national flags of the two countries at the meeting between China and Pakistan. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Zhang Xiaopeng)
In addition to the leaders of 9 participating countries who held intensive talks and meetings in the previous two days, President Xi held talks and meetings with leaders of 12 countries during his trip to Central Asia. This is a long-lost gathering time for the “SCO family”. As President Xi said in a signed article on the eve of his visit to Ukraine: “The closer relatives are, the deeper the friendship is.”
From 2013 to 2022, from Bishkek to Samarkand, embracing the livelihoods and dreams of billions of people, crossing countless mountains and seas, going year after year, and advancing consistently. This certainty is worth staring at; this kind of voice is worth listening to.
△Samarkand day and night. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Liu Qi)
Producer丨Shen Yong Gong Xuehui
Chief Writer丨Yu Zhenyi
Reporter丨Ma Chao Huang Jinghui Guo Hong Liu Qi Pan Yi Li Jin
Editor in charge丨Hou Yan, Cai Jingyu, Liu Huimin, Ma Zhe, and Liu Ruilin
Vision丨Chen Kuo and Zhang Jing
Editor丨Wang Zun
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责编：袁晴 ]