SCO Secretariat at the international symposium on PRC’s 70th anniversary and building a community with a shared future for mankind

On 5-6 November, Shanghai hosted an international symposium devoted to the 70th anniversary of founding the People's Republic of China and building a community with a shared future for mankind. It brought together over 200 politicians, diplomats, scientists and experts. The symposium was directed by Huang Kunming, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the CPC Central Committee Publicity Department, and Xie Fuzhan, President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

SCO Secretariat advisor Vladimir Zakharov read a welcome message by the SCO Secretary-General to the participants in one of the symposium's parallel sections. He also conveyed Vladimir Norov's greetings to his Chinese colleagues on the PRC's 70th anniversary. The message emphasised that in a short span of time China has become a world leader in economic development and an authoritative global power: China is playing an increasingly important role in resolving regional and global issues and is enhancing its status in the world arena.

China has proposed a new programme for human progress — development of the world through peace. With the continuous expansion of cooperation between China and the rest of the world, the concept of a global community with a shared future is meeting with growing support and approval in the international community. Mr Norov believes that conceptually the idea of a community with a shared future is close to the main principles which underlie the SCO — openness, no orientation against other states and international organisations, a non-block character for international associations and consensus as a democratic means of decision-making.

It was also noted that the SCO should be viewed as a civilisational project for creating a new system of international relations in an open format. This can be seen in the successful mechanisms of regular multilateral consultations on key issues of international and regional relations. All this makes it possible to develop common, basic approaches to resolving problems that concern the vital interests of the participants.

SCO activities are becoming particularly topical now that the efforts to counter terrorism, extremist ideology and incitement to terrorist activity are becoming increasingly important. In this context, the SCO member countries focus on enhancing their struggle against the radicalisation of society and prevention of any form of extremism, racial intolerance and xenophobia. The experience amassed in this area may be very useful for the relevant activities of other international and regional associations as well.

In conclusion, Vladimir Norov noted the SCO's close links with the People's Republic of China, emphasising China's creative role in the development of the SCO's multifaceted cooperation: "The creation of the SCO was first announced in Shanghai. Its headquarters was established in Beijing, the capital of the PRC. This was the birth place of the principles of the Shanghai Spirit that are now known to the world. During the past 18 years China has invariably come up with versatile initiatives in security, politics, the economy and people-to-people contacts. They are aimed at enhancing cooperation in the SCO, consolidating its international status and developing it into a transcontinental organisation of multifaceted cooperation."

The People's Republic of China celebrated its 70th anniversary just over a month ago.

In a relatively short span of time, the PRC has become a global leader in economic development and an authoritative global power that is by right a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The gradual transformation of economic potential into political strength and the growing influence of the PRC in the world are taking place before our eyes.

This enhances China's role in resolving regional and global issues and gives it new tasks in its conceptual positioning in the world.

Drastic changes in the global governance system and in the international order are moving forward more quickly.

In this context, the interconnection and interdependence in relations between all countries are becoming increasingly clear and are resulting in a greater balance in the correlation of forces in the international arena.

A common striving for peaceful progress is becoming a permanent trend. Economic globalisation has brought about redistribution of resources in the world and a serious adjustment in international relations.

At the same time, society's informatisation has helped unify the world and cultural diversity has led to the exchanges of many cultural trends.

These changes demonstrate the thrust of historical progress, affect the wellbeing of all countries and require their protection through a concerted effort.

The existing factors of instability and uncertainty are becoming obvious at the same time.

The lack of impetuses for global economic growth is becoming clear and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening every day.

Many regions experience a continuous series of urgent problems.

Unconventional threats to security like terrorism, cybercrime and climate change are spreading in the world.

Humanity is confronting a host of common challenges. Being a permanent UN Security Council member and the world's second largest economy, China assumes commensurate responsibility for resolving global and regional issues and makes a befitting contribution to the peaceful and harmonious development of the international community.

In this context, Chinese President Xi Jinping has set forth a major initiative to build a global community with a shared future and has suggested implementing it in five areas: politics, security, the economy, culture and ecology, thereby promoting the creation of a new model for the international community that will enjoy durable peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and tolerance.

This initiative corresponds to the course of historical progress and meets the needs of today's world. Based on this, China has offered the world a new paradigm of human progress — world development through peace.

With the expansion of China's cooperation with different countries the concept of a global community with a shared future is being increasingly supported all over the world. Peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit are today's trends.

Conceptually, the ideas of a community with a shared future are close to the main principles that underlie the SCO — openness, no orientation against other states or international organisations, a non-block character in international associations and consensus as a democratic means of decision-making.

The SCO is building a democratic and fair system of international relations. It is viable because none of the members dominates or resorts to forms of pressure or coercion.

The SCO has become a graphic example of co-existence between countries that vary in scale, weight and systems and have their own cultural and ethnic traditions. The SCO creates conditions for merging goals and values and a productive development of dialogue between different civilisations.

The Shanghai Spirit makes the SCO particularly appealing. This spirit is based on mutual trust and benefit, equality, reciprocal dialogue, respect for the diversity of cultures and civilisations and a striving for joint development.

Therefore, the position of the SCO as expressed at the Qingdao Summit fully reflects the profound meaning of the concept of a shared future for humanity: "The member states reaffirm their commitment to the goals and objectives stipulated in the SCO Charter and the SCO Development Strategy Towards 2025 by consistently developing the political, security, trade and economic, financial, investment, transport, energy, agricultural and humanitarian cooperation, promoting the construction of international relations of a new type based on mutual respect, justice, equality, mutually beneficial cooperation, and the formation of a common vision of building a community for a shared future of humankind."

Later, this position was reflected in a consolidated statement at the Bishkek Summit, whereby the "The member states emphasise the importance of initiatives to promote cooperation in building international relations of a new type, based on the principles and standards of international law, primarily mutual respect, justice, equality, mutually beneficial cooperation, and a common vision on creating a community with a shared future for humankind."

To sum up, the SCO should be viewed as a civilisational project on creating a new system of open international relations. This is manifest in the successfully operating mechanisms of regular multilateral consultations on key international and regional issues.

All this allows the SCO to develop common basic approaches to resolving problems of vital interest to its members. They are actively looking for long-term algorithms of multilateral economic cooperation, including new economic and logistics mechanisms.

The SCO has established and is successfully developing partner contacts with other international and regional organisations, primarily the UN. Thus, we can say that the

SCO has become an influential transnational organisation. Its influence in the international arena is growing and more states are willing to cooperate with it.

SCO activities are also becoming particularly relevant because the efforts to counter terrorism, extremist ideology and incitement to terrorist acts are becoming increasingly important.

In this context, the SCO member countries pay special attention to enhancing their struggle against radicalisation of society and prevention of any form of extremism, racial intolerance or xenophobia. The experience amassed in this area can be very useful for the related activities of other international and regional associations.

The constructive partnership established between the SCO member states allows them to use the advantages of geographical proximity and the complementarity of their economies and encourages them to continue seeking joint projects through diverse cooperation.

All this is consonant with UN-proclaimed peace and development goals based on objectivity, justice, democracy and freedom and is even better adapted to the current realities of international relations.

Cooperation in this area is of strategic significance for ensuring future stability and security in Eurasia and the rest of the world partly because the SCO area is a cradle and centre for most major civilisations, religions and cultures.

All of them determine the mentality of the modern world, exerting enormous influence on all areas of the world community's development — political, economic, cultural and moral.

With India and Pakistan's accession, the SCO has become the world's largest universal reginal association.

The SCO is the only venue that unites major regional powers in the institutional framework of a single structure.

The SCO member states are located in the centre of Eurasia. Together with the SCO observer states and dialogue partners, they form a large space of pan-Eurasian cooperation.

In conclusion, I would like to mention the SCO's close ties with the People's Republic of China. I would like to lay special emphasis on China's creative role in developing diverse SCO cooperation.

To begin with, your country enthusiastically supported the idea of establishing the SCO and became its founder. The birth of the SCO was first announced in Shanghai, China. Beijing, the capital of the PRC, hosts its headquarters.

This was also the birthplace of the principles of the Shanghai Spirit that are now known to the world. During the past 18 years, China has invariably put forward versatile initiatives in security, politics, the economy and cultural and humanitarian development with a view to promoting cooperation within the SCO, consolidating its international status and turning it into a transcontinental organisation of diverse cooperation.

China's important role in the SCO is also determined by its global profile in the development of international trade and economic cooperation, protection of WTO-

established legal standards and a resolve to ensure freedom of trade and international exchange.

China strictly abides by the SCO Charter, the consensus-based practice of decision-making and a policy of openness, which has earned it high prestige in the SCO, and broad international recognition. Today, there are no problems in the region or in the rest of the world that do not require Beijing's opinion.

China's role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council sharing responsibility for international security and stability cannot be overestimated.

In conclusion, I would like to note that the SCO is indeed an international organisation of a new type. It represents a future model of a well-balanced and effective system of international relations, and embodies the concept of a community with a shared future. The latter's development is a response to the new challenges facing global civilisation. The SCO is coming to play a key role in this global endeavour.

In connection with the 70th anniversary of founding the People's Republic of China, I would like to sincerely congratulate all of our Chinese friends on this great holiday on behalf of the SCO Secretariat and myself.