Dates for SCO security council meeting announced

The 13th Meeting of Security Council Secretaries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be held from May 21-22 in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang announced on Wednesday.

"The meeting is the first of its kind since the SCO accepted new members, and its priority is to make political and security preparations for the SCO Summit to be held next month in Qingdao," Lu told a regular media conference in Beijing.

According to Lu, participants will exchange in-depth views over issues including the regional security situation of the SCO, cooperation in fighting the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, as well as guaranteeing international information safety.

"We believe that with the joint efforts of all parties, the meeting will further build consensus among member states on security cooperation, and inject new impetus to the security cooperation of SCO," he said.

State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi will attend and chair the meeting. Representatives from India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the SCO will attend the meeting. During the meeting, Chinese leaders will also meet with heads of delegations from participating parties.