China commits to building closer SCO community with shared future

PRACTICAL APPROACH

Over the years, the SCO has evolved from an organization that focuses on security and economic cooperation to one with a holistic view, aiming to build "a community of health for us all," "a community of security for us all," "a community of development for us all" and "a community of cultural exchanges for us all."

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the surging problems that have been plaguing human beings and also provided the SCO members with an opportunity to build a closer community with a shared future.

Guided by the vision of building "a community of health for us all," China has provided COVID-19 vaccines to Uzbekistan, donated anti-epidemic materials to Kyrgyzstan, and sent medical experts to Russia and Kazakhstan.

Over the past three years, China has provided over 2.2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to more than 120 countries and international organizations, offering vital support to developing nations in their battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regional security lays a solid foundation for SCO cooperation. Mechanisms such as the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group have been proven to be effective in helping facilitate the peace process of the war-torn country for years.

Over the past decade, the SCO has become an important platform for practical Belt and Road cooperation. Major projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, SCO training and demonstration base for agricultural technology exchange and China-SCO local economic and trade cooperation demonstration zone have brought tangible benefits to local people.

In recent years, a comprehensive infrastructure network involving roads, oil and gas pipelines, and railways was gradually formed in the SCO region.

With the construction of transportation services such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline and the regular operation of China-Europe freight train services, ties among SCO member states have physically become closer.

In June, the fifth anniversary of the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area was celebrated in the eastern Chinese coastal city of Qingdao. Statistics showed that apart from sea, air, and road transport, the Area operates 31 international freight train routes, reaching 54 cities in 23 countries, including the SCO countries and those along the Belt and Road.

"China's economic growth momentum is strong, and I hope that more Kazakh businessmen will continue to deeply integrate into China's new development paradigm and achieve win-win results through cooperation," said Botakoz Yelshibek, a Kazakhstan youth who had studied and worked in China for six years.

Established in January 2022, the China-SCO Institute of Economy and Trade in Qingdao has held over 130 training programs covering international logistics and cross-border e-commerce and trained over 9,900 people from 43 SCO countries and others along the Belt and Road.

Meanwhile, China has also promised to establish a China-SCO base for training counter-terrorism personnel, set up a China-SCO Big Data Cooperation Center and provide developing countries in need with emergency humanitarian assistance of grain and other supplies worth 1.5 billion RMB yuan (about $214 million). Its commitments to the SCO not only benefit the region but also lead a broader range of practical cooperation.