Li: SCO can play bigger role in governance

Premier Li Qiang has called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to play a greater role in improving global governance, and work with the international community to jointly uphold multilateralism and promote universal security and lasting peace.

Li made the remarks on Tuesday when he addressed the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the SCO in Moscow, the capital of Russia.

Leaders and representatives from SCO member states, observers and dialogue partners, guests of the host country, as well as leaders of international organizations, attended the meeting, which was chaired by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

Li said that the SCO, as an important force in the construction and reform of the global governance system, is equipped for and capable of taking the joint implementation of the Global Governance Initiative, which was proposed by President Xi Jinping at the SCO Tianjin Summit in September, as an opportunity to play a greater role in bringing the world under good governance.

While emphasizing the importance of the SCO in building and reforming the global governance system, Li said that the Shanghai Spirit, which is defined by mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development, is highly aligned with the core concepts of the GGI.

He urged SCO countries to promote development and security through cooperation, enhance the alignment of development strategies, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, ensure the stability and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains and jointly build an open and inclusive world economy.

China stands ready to work closely with all SCO members to establish the SCO Development Bank as soon as possible and proposes the establishment of a China-SCO cooperation center for metabolic diseases, he said.

Li called for efforts to strengthen security cooperation mechanisms, give full play to the important role of the "four security centers" — the SCO Universal Center for Countering Security Challenges and Threats, the Information Security Center, the Center for Combating Transnational Organized Crime and the Anti-Drug Center.

The premier also underlined the need for SCO countries to stimulate strong vitality for innovation and transformation, urging joint efforts to strengthen cooperation in science and technology.

Other parties attending the meeting called for joint efforts to bolster cooperation in areas such as connectivity, economy and trade, and security, as well as people-to-people exchanges, implement the GGI, and safeguard multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations.

Following the meeting, Li and other leaders signed the joint communique and cooperation documents concerning the economy and trade, railways, social development and security, and approved relevant resolutions on the construction of the SCO.

On Tuesday, Li also had separate meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mongolian Prime Minister Gombojav Zandanshatar.

While meeting with Putin, Li said that China's determination and position to develop mutually beneficial cooperation with Russia have always been consistent. He expressed the country's willingness to further enhance the resilience of cooperation with Russia and consolidate and maintain the steady development momentum of bilateral cooperation.

Putin said that Russia stands ready to maintain close high-level exchanges with China, and promote cooperation in economy and trade, energy, agriculture and infrastructure.

During his meeting with Zandanshatar, Li emphasized the need for China and Mongolia to expand trade volume and explore cooperation in emerging fields such as green energy and the digital economy.

The Mongolian prime minister said that maintaining friendly cooperation with China is a primary guideline in Mongolia's foreign policy. He assured Li that Mongolia firmly adheres to the one-China policy.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn