SCO focused on economy, security cooperation - Chinese Ambassador to Russia
MOSCOW/BEIJING. June 4 (Interfax) - Economy and security are key cooperation areas in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui said in an article published by the embassy.
The article was dedicated to the SCO summit due to open in Beijing on June 6.
"Since the moment the SCO was established its member states have been focused on regional economic cooperation. Economic and security cooperation based on mutual benefit were chosen as two important vectors of the organization's development," he said.
Economic cooperation "has strengthened the SCO resource base, given new energy to its development, consolidated friendship between regional states and upgraded the region's standing in the global economy," the ambassador said.
The SCO trade and economic cooperation program adopted in 2009 created a favorable environment for the organization's development, "in the long run free movement of goods, capitals, hardware and services would be ensured in the region," he said.
Meetings of ministers and working groups on key interaction areas are important tools of SCO economic cooperation and trade, Li said.
Regional trade and economic cooperation promoted growth of bilateral trade of SCO member countries. For instance, China's trade with SCO partners grew by 10 times from 2001 to 2011, from $12.1 billion to $113.4 billion, he said.
"Substantial progress has been made in technical and economic cooperation, network and telecom projects," he said.
The ambassador expects further deepening of "business cooperation between SCO member states, broadening of economic cooperation, and intensification and deepening of sustainable development."