On 16 September 2019, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Vladimir Norov met with Ms He Ying, Vice Mayor of Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR).
The two officials discussed the participation of the SCO Secretariat in the upcoming China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum titled Cooperation in the Sea and on the Land: Fostering Innovative Development, which will be held in Nanning on 17-19 October 2019.
Ms He Ying said that the 7th forum will be held in a new format: with four panel sessions with the participation of representatives of Central Asian countries, Transcaucasia and two ASEAN member states, Thailand and Singapore. She also expressed hope that the forum will facilitate the development of relations between the SCO and ASEAN and help to strengthen the mutually beneficial trade and economic relations between GZAR and countries that will attend the forum.
The SCO Secretary-General noted the importance of holding such events in order to improve all spheres of the relations between the countries in the region.
"SCO member states have a vast agricultural potential and are ready to deliver quality organic foods to Chinese markets. With regards to this, we consider it necessary to invite representatives from customs, phytosanitary and quarantine agencies to the forum's panel session, Cooperation in International Logistics and E-Commerce, in order to facilitate cooperation between the participants," Mr Norov pointed out.
Ms He Ying supported the initiative and expressed readiness to further assist with the organisational side of things and helping to adopt the necessary measures to reach these goals. She also said that an exhibition devoted to Chinese unique products and technological achievements will take place on the sidelines of the forum.
Government officials and politicians, representatives of diplomatic missions, businesspeople and experts are invited to take part in the event.