On October 18-19, 2025, in Jingdezhen, China, at the invitation of the Chinese side, the Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Nurlan Yermekbayev, attended the International Ceramic Expo.
The event, organized by the People’s Government of Jiangxi Province and the China Light Industry Association, was opened by Qi Xuchun, Vice Chairman of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Over 1,000 delegates participated, including ambassadors from foreign countries, senior officials from the administrations of Jingdezhen’s sister cities, experts, and representatives of the business community.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, the SCO Secretary General highly praised the role of the ceramics and porcelain industry in promoting international cultural dialogue. It was noted that porcelain has historically served as a ‘cultural ambassador’ of China to the outside world, while the SCO is a platform for dialogue between different civilizations.
Nurlan Yermekbayev reported on the outcomes of the SCO Tianjin Summit (September 1, 2025) and the Meeting of SCO Ministers of Culture (July 7, 2025) in the humanitarian sphere, particularly regarding the development of cooperation in crafts and folk art. Proposals were put forward to develop cooperation jointly with the People’s Government of Jiangxi Province and the city of Jingdezhen in the fields of folk crafts and applied arts, traditional medicine, and tourism.
Background: Since 2021, at the initiative of the President of China, Xi Jinping, the SCO Traditional Medicine Forum has been held annually in China. Four such events have taken place in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. The organizers are the Chinese Committee for Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of the SCO and the People’s Government of Jiangxi Province.
On the sidelines of the exhibition, Nurlan Yermekbayev held a meeting with Yin Hong, Secretary of the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee. A detailed exchange of views took place on the state and prospects of the province’s cooperation with SCO countries in areas such as cultural exchanges, traditional medicine, and others. Both sides confirmed their commitment to further deepen cooperation with the aim of achieving significant practical results.