On 8 February 2021, SCO Deputy Secretary-General Yerik Ashimov met with a delegation of the city of Lianyungang government at the SCO Secretariat.
The participants discussed the organising and holding of the international roundtable discussion on cross border trade and the import/export of goods, which is scheduled for May 2021.
The head of the Lianyungang delegation Xu Yuetin noted that the international roundtable discussion on transport and logistics hosted by the city in December 2019 made it possible to promote the city's cooperation with the SCO countries in these areas. He told Mr Ashimov about the details of the forthcoming international roundtable discussion,
In turn, Mr Ashimov assured the Lianyungang delegation that the SCO Secretariat would facilitate the holding of this discussion. Considering the epidemiological situation in the world, he suggested holding the discussion online as well so that all interested sides could join by video conference.
Mr Ashimov also noted that the roundtable discussion could be timed to the 20th anniversary of the SCO.
The meeting participants agreed to maintain permanent working contacts.
On 6 December 2019, Lianyungang hosted a roundtable discussion of the SCO countries on the expansion of trade and logistics cooperation in the SCO, and joint construction of international logistics and transport corridors between Asia and Europe.
This event was considered a convenient venue for holding meetings in the В2В format with large Chinese companies on the issues of transport and logistics.
The roundtable discussion was attended by heads and representatives of railway, maritime, transport-logistics, construction, communication and other commercial companies from the SCO countries.