On 23 January 2019, a reception was given in Beijing on the occasion of the inauguration of Vladimir Norov as Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
The reception was attended by ambassadors and high representatives of diplomatic missions from the SCO, the EU and ASEAN member countries, as well as members of the diplomatic corps accredited to China and reporters from news agencies in the Shanghai family of countries.
Greeting the audience, SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov said: "Assuming the duties of Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, I would like, first, to express my deep gratitude to the heads of the eight SCO countries for placing such a high level of trust in me.
"In my activities I am determined to follow the principles of the Shanghai spirit, carry on the SCO's established traditions and contribute as much as I can to the continued development of the organisation, as well as efforts to successfully deliver on the goals set before the SCO Secretariat, and defend the interests of all members of the organisation."
On behalf of China, Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Hanhui greeted the newly appointed SCO Secretary-General and congratulated him on his new position. He also expressed complete confidence that Vladimir Norov's rich experience in diplomacy and government service will bring the organisation's activities to a higher level. The high-ranking Chinese diplomat assured the audience that the People's Republic of China would continue to provide comprehensive support for and assistance to achieving the SCO's regional and global objectives.
Other speakers included Dzhumakhon Giyosov, Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS); Andrei Denisov, Russian Ambassador to China; and Kazybek Kochkonov, the National Coordinator from the Kyrgyz Republic for the SCO.
The reception was held in a friendly atmosphere.