Editor’s note:
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a speech at the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, on Monday. The meeting was a preparation for the SCO summit in Astana in July. The following are excerpts of his speech:
After 23 years of joint efforts, we have successfully built the SCO into a security barrier, a bridge of cooperation, and a constructive force in the region. At present, a few countries pursue a hegemonic, protectionist, coercive, divisive and bullying approach to international affairs, and even contribute to the activities of the “three evil forces” in the Central Asia region. Their purpose is to suppress the strategic independence of the Global South and block the rise of emerging markets.
The more chaotic the world becomes, the more we must adhere to the right direction and effectively safeguard our common interests, respond to various challenges, and uphold fairness and justice by further implementing and strengthening SCO cooperation.
The SCO countries should adhere to strategic independence and maintain unity and collaboration. We must respect each other’s core interests, resolve conflicts and differences through dialogue, and firmly hold the future and destiny of our countries and the peaceful development of the region in our own hands, and never allow external forces to turn the region into a geopolitical arena.
Common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security should be the norm in this region. China is willing to work with all parties to improve the SCO’s mechanisms for responding to security threats and challenges and deepen security exchanges and cooperation so as to enhance the overall security level of the region.
The SCO countries should adhere to inclusive and win-win cooperation and empower cooperative development. The SCO is a promoter of economic globalization. We need to adhere to the direction of integrated regional development, implement more cooperation projects and stimulate multilateral cooperation momentum.
The SCO countries should adhere to openness and inclusiveness and deepen exchanges and mutual learning. We should allow diverse civilizations to flourish, deepen understanding among the people of all countries, and build a solid social and public foundation for friendship from generation to generation.
China is willing to work with all SCO partners to actively advocate an equal and orderly multipolarization of the world system, and promote inclusive economic globalization that benefits all.