On March 20, 2026, a commemorative event was held in Beijing with the participation of representatives of the leadership of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR, PRC) and members of the diplomatic corps accredited in China. Secretary of the XUAR Party Committee Chen Xiaojiang attended the gathering.
In his welcoming address to the guests, Sohail Khan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, emphasized the special role of Xinjiang as the "western gateway" of the PRC, highlighting the Autonomous Region's contribution to the development of regional transport infrastructure, trade, economic, and cultural-humanitarian ties within the SCO space.
The Deputy Secretary-General expressed gratitude to the leadership of the XUAR for their unwavering support for the work of the SCO and its Secretariat, including in the context of marking the 25th anniversary of the Organization this year.