On 9 May 2021, SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov met with Vice Governor of the Henan Province He Jinping in Zhengzhou, as part of his participation in the fifth global conference on cross-border e-commerce.
At the beginning of the meeting, the sides discussed issues of interaction between the province and the organisation and developing comprehensive cooperation between Henan and the SCO member states.
The SCO Secretary-General emphasised the high potential for interaction in the region. He noted that the SCO Secretariat is ready to assist in developing cooperation between the Henan Province and interested countries in the SCO region.
"The SCO's capacity is enormous, and joint efforts are needed to implement it in full. The SCO can promote cooperation in such practical areas as the economy and trade, smart agriculture, transport, logistics, digital technologies, and tourism. In this cooperation, we see a great role for the joint projects of our countries, especially in strengthening interregional ties," Vladimir Norov said.
Then he informed He Jinping about the past meetings of the main bodies and their resolutions. In particular, the Secretary-General noted the Moscow summit of the SCO Heads of State, where a number of documents were adopted, which are important for the organisation and the SCO member states.
"This year is important for the organisation, as we celebrate our 20th anniversary. In this anniversary year, we plan to hold 150 different events," Mr Norov said.
Vice Governor of Henan Province He Jinping, in turn, informed the SCO Secretary-General about the history and achievements of the province in recent years.
"After the SCO Heads of Government Council Meeting in 2015 in Zhengzhou, the province's relations with the SCO member states began to develop successfully. Thanks to our close contacts, we, together with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan, successfully confronted the COVID-19 pandemic, He Jinping emphasised. He also noted that the province boasts its advanced chemical and textile industries, mechanical engineering, as well as agriculture.
Vice Governor of Henan Province He Jinping, in turn, informed the SCO Secretary-General about the history and achievements of the province in recent years.
"After the SCO Heads of Government Council Meeting in 2015 in Zhengzhou, the province's relations with the SCO member states began to develop successfully. Thanks to our close contacts, we, together with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan, successfully confronted the COVID-19 pandemic, He Jinping emphasised. He also noted that the province boasts its advanced chemical and textile industries, mechanical engineering, as well as agriculture.
"In these areas, we are successfully developing cooperation with several countries, including some SCO member states. We would be happy to work with the SCO Secretariat to expand the province's cooperation with the SCO member states in these areas," he said. He also expressed hope for the further deepening of practical cooperation with the SCO countries in culture, the economy, trade, tourism, etc.
The meeting was attended by the Ambassadors of Belarus and Sri Lanka, as well as representatives from the embassies of a number of European and Middle Eastern states.
The meeting was attended by the Ambassadors of Belarus and Sri Lanka, as well as representatives from the embassies of a number of European and Middle Eastern states.
Henan is a province located in the east of Central China. It is one of the cradles of Chinese culture, with one of China's most important archaeological sites located in its territory. Over the past two decades, Henan has experienced rapid economic development. Labour resources, favourable climate and new infrastructure allow the region to hold a leading position in China in all sectors of the economy.