SCO Council of National Coordinators conclude their meeting in Yangzhou

Between 22 and 25 August 2017, the SCO Council of National Coordinators (СNС) convened for a meeting in Yangzhou (Jiangsu Province, China).

The meeting was opened by Li Huilai, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, who put forward China's views on the further development of mutually beneficial cooperation between the SCO countries during China's presidency. "The SCO is a vital mechanism of regional security, multifaceted cooperation and sustainable dynamics of positive interaction in Eurasia," Li Huilai said.

He also stressed that "China, which is the first member state to assume the SCO chairmanship after the organisation's expansion, will work faithfully together with its colleagues towards the organisation's initial goal and will adjust its actions to whatever changes so as to be able to promote cooperation between the SCO member states in politics, security, the economy, culture, foreign ties and institutional improvement aimed at the organisation's bright future."

The meeting's agenda included over 20 topics related to the implementation of the SCO's plan of key events for 2017, including within the framework of China's chairmanship. The participants had detailed discussions on the gradual implementation of the decisions and initiatives adopted by the SCO heads of state at the Astana Summit.

The national coordinators also discussed preparations for the next meeting of the SCO Heads of Government (prime ministers) Council, the meetings of foreign affairs and foreign trade ministers, as well as the meetings of related expert and working groups, which will be held in the latter half of the year in Russia.

They also spoke about cooperation between the parliaments and individual regions in the SCO countries, as well as plans to hold a roundtable discussion between regional leaders from the SCO countries, to create a forum of regional SCO leaders and to organise a roundtable discussion for regional SCO leaders on the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Forum, which will convene in Xian, China, between 21 and 23 September 2017.

The CNC meeting's agenda included preparations for a gathering of the SCO justice ministers, the monitoring of the upcoming presidential election in Kyrgyzstan by SCO observers, the results of economic, cultural and humanitarian events and other topics.