Common responsibilities for regional peace and stability

Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from the speech by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the 13th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana on Dec 15, 2014.

Since last year's heads of government meeting in Tashkent, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states have, acting in the Shanghai Spirit, scored new achievements in their cooperation in various fields. At the Dushanbe Summit last September, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the leaders of the other SCO member states put forward a number of significant initiatives to advance their practical cooperation. Currently, the international situation is complicated, development of various economies is becoming differentiated and certain regional turbulences have intensified. Given this backdrop, we need to further strengthen cooperation in the security and economic fields as well as in cultural and people-to-people exchanges so that we can seize opportunities and rise up to challenges.

First, we need to forge a strong shield for regional security and stability. The international political and economic situation is undergoing complex changes. China remains committed to the path of peaceful development, and it will be firm in its efforts to safeguard regional peace, stability and development. China will work to increase synergy and collaboration with other countries to jointly promote world prosperity and stability. Security cooperation mechanisms need to be improved to oppose terrorism in all its manifestations. It is important that countries give support to the government of Afghanistan in its efforts to achieve early national reconciliation and economic reconstruction, as this is conducive to regional stability and serves the common interests of all countries.

Second, we need to foster new highlights in regional cooperation. As the global economic recovery faces difficulties and the economic and trade growth of SCO member states is slowing down, we need to work together to realize industrial cooperation, trade and investment facilitation and financial cooperation, all at higher levels. We need to speed up regional economic integration, create new highlights for regional cooperation and foster new growth areas so as to ensure more dynamic economic growth.

The SCO member states are all at critical stages of development, when stabilizing growth and achieving structural adjustment and upgrading have become important. Cooperation between the various parties is now expanding from trade in natural resources and primary products to in-depth cooperation that involves equipment manufacturing and the building of industrial parks. Countries in the region have a huge market demand and China, for its part, has rich experience in infrastructure construction, has a strong equipment manufacturing capability and could provide cost-effective products. China wants to enhance cooperation with other SCO members in metallurgy, construction materials, transport, power generation, telecommunications, automobile assembling and food processing to complement each other's advantages and achieve win-win outcomes. China has reached an agreement with Kazakhstan on conducting cooperation in production capacity and is open to similar cooperation with other members of the SCO. Dialogue among SCO members could be stepped up on the platform of the SCO energy club so that we can deepen cooperation in energy processing, including oil refining, refined oil processing and in the coal chemical industry. At the same time, we may also encourage new energy projects such as wind, solar and hydro power projects, so as to jointly safeguard energy security. China's initiative to build a Silk Road Economic Belt has much in common with the development strategies of relevant SCO members. China hopes to strengthen consultation and cooperation with various parties to jointly promote industrial transformation and upgrading.