2nd LD Writethru: Li makes six-pronged proposal for SCO's future development

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday made a six-pronged proposal for the future development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), calling on its members to enhance cooperation in such fields as security, economic development and production capacity.

Li made the remarks at the 15th SCO prime ministers' meeting in Bishkek.

Noting that the SCO has been playing an indispensable role in boosting regional stability and prosperity in last 15 years, Li said it has also made active contribution in promoting world peace and development.

Only through joint cooperation can SCO members achieve common development and long-term peace as well as stability in the region, said Li, calling on all member states to make joint efforts in the following six fields.

On security cooperation, Li urged all members to observe a concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, suggesting deepening information exchange and cooperation in law-enforcement so as to ensure the safety of peoples, institutions, enterprises and personnel of SCO members.

He also asked SCO members to further strengthen their cooperation and coordination on security and boost the construction of regional anti-terrorism institutions and mechanisms.

As for the alignment of development strategies, Li called for more efforts to promote the coordination and dovetailing of economic development policies of SCO members, citing the growing synergy between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) as an example.

The Belt and Road Initiative comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and aspires to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road routes. The EEU groups Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.

China stands ready to make joint efforts with other SCO members to boost regional trade and facilitate investment, said Li, suggesting that SCO members enhance cooperation in such fields as customs, inspection and quarantine, as well as certification and accreditation.

China is open to the initiative of establishing a SCO free trade zone and is willing to work with other parties to conduct relevant feasibility studies and actively explore a more comprehensive, closer and more efficient regional economic cooperation framework, said the premier.

As to enhancing production capacity cooperation, Li said China is ready to make joint efforts with other member states to make production capacity cooperation a pillar of regional trade cooperation. Major cooperation projects, including a power plant in Uzbekistan, an oil refinery in Kyrgyzstan, a cement plant in Tajikistan and a China-Uzbekistan industrial park are undergoing smoothly, Li said.

Concerning innovation cooperation, Li said China is willing to beef up the alignment as well as the exchanges of innovation policies with other members, so as to facilitate the e-commerce customs clearance, strengthen the capacity of logistics support, and propel cooperation in such fields as environmental technology innovation and green economy.

Regarding regional financing, the Chinese premier urged member states to take full advantage of regional financing platforms like the SCO Interbank Consortium, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Silk Road Fund and the BRICS New Development Bank, among others.

China stands ready to further strengthen swaps and settlement of local currencies with all member states, he added.

About people-to-people exchanges, Li pledged to offer more scholarships for SCO members to enhance the foundation of people-to-people exchanges.

China is willing to sign agreements with other parties on establishing a SCO university and support its efforts to foster talents for SCO members, said the premier.

He added that China will continue to host summer camps for primary and secondary school students from SCO countries and hold a series of nongovernmental exchange activities.

Li arrived in Bishkek on Wednesday for an official visit to the Central Asian country and the SCO meeting.

Established in 2001, the SCO is a regional political, economic and security organization that groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as full members.

India and Pakistan signed the SCO's Memorandum of Obligations in June, kick-starting the process of their accession into the group, which also has a number of observers and dialogue partners.

Kyrgyzstan is the first leg of Li's ongoing eight-day four-country tour, which also takes him to Kazakhstan, Latvia and Russia. Endi