The eighth prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states was held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 14, 2009. The meeting was chaired by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and attended by Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Tajik Prime Minister Akil Akilov, Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyaev, as well as representatives from the SCO observer nations including Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi, Mongolian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Sukhbaataryn Batbold and Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Deora. Afghanistan's Second Vice President Abdul Karim Khalili was present at the meeting as guest of the host country.
The meeting reviewed the progress SCO had made in economic and cultural cooperation over the past year. The leaders exchanged views on implementing the treaty of long-term, good-neighborly friendship and cooperation of the SCO member states and the Yekaterinburg summit consensus. They also exchanged views on deepening practical cooperation in various areas and jointly addressing the international financial crisis. The prime ministers of SCO member states reached broad consensus at the meeting, which was a great success.
In his speech at the meeting, Wen spoke highly of the positive results the SCO members achieved in their joint response to the international financial crisis. Wen pointed out the world is currently undergoing enormous development, changes and readjustment. The international financial crisis, the "three forces" of separatism, terrorism and extremism, drugs and cross-border crimes were threatening peace, stability and development of the region. He said in face of these challenges, countries in the region had shown greater aspiration to deepen cooperation and unite for self development. "The Shanghai Cooperation Organization should play an even bigger role in enhancing solidarity and mutual support of its member states and advancing regional cooperation," Wen said. He emphasized that China will adhere to the policy of treating its neighbors well and as partners. China will stick to the open-up strategy based on mutual benefit and win-win and continue to contribute to regional development through its own growth. China gives top priority to the development of the SCO and regards other member states as good neighbors, good friends and good partners. China is ready to work with all other parties to meet challenges, share opportunities and promote lasting peace and prosperity in the region.
Wen raised a seven-point proposal to enhance regional cooperation.
First, to deepen fiscal and financial cooperation. The SCO members should enhance the exchanges of financial and monetary policies and improve the trade settlement payment system. They should promote the reform of the international financial system, enhance the diversification and rationalization of the international monetary system and jointly safeguard financial stability.
Second, to promote the security and facilitation of trade and investment. The SCO member states should sign the Agreement on Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investments, and work out the Annex to the SCO Intergovernmental Agreement on Facilitation of International Road Transport as soon as possible. They should formulate the Plan on Road Network Development Coordination, strengthen the management on port cooperation and solve the product quality and safety problems of the member states.
Third, to accelerate the implementation of large economic and technological cooperation projects. The SCO member states should carry out the construction of infrastructures including roads and railways, explore clean environment-friendly energy and develop new economic growth points. They should give full play to the role of the SCO Business Council and SCO Interbank Consortium to create better conditions for the cooperation between their small and medium-sized enterprises.
Fourth, to expand channels of cooperation. The member states should deepen agricultural cooperation, guarantee food security and establish a promoting system for boarder agricultural trades. They should enhance technological cooperation, promote transformation, renovation and modernization of traditional industries, improve the capacity of independent innovation and boost industrialization of scientific results.
Fifth, China will implement the announced ten billion U.S. dollars of credit support to Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states and continue to send trade and investment delegations to other member states, to fight trade and investment protectionism with practical action and to boost trade and economic and social development of the member states.
Sixth, to promote cultural exchanges, and the cooperation on health, education, disaster prevention and relief and human resources. China will provide fund support for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to take part in the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
Seventh, to deepen the cooperation on security. The SCO member states should intensify the fight against the three forces and steadily support each other on major issues concerning the core interests of sovereignty, security and development.
Other prime ministers in their remarks expressed appreciation of China's help with other countries and its efforts to promote the SCO's development, regarding the SCO as an important force for maintaining regional stability and promoting common development. They agreed to enhance solidarity, deepen cooperation and join hands to meet challenges.
The meeting made remarkable achievements in the following four aspects:
First, the prime ministers worked out joint measures to increase multilateral economic cooperation, cope with global financial crisis, and ensure steady economic growth. They agreed to establish a monitoring mechanism for the SCO economy.
Second, the prime ministers supported the increase of financial dialogue and cooperation and agreed to improve investment environment and upgrade investment level. They decided to speed up the opening of a special SCO account to resolve financing problems of major cooperation projects. They agreed to carry on research on meetings of financial ministers and central bank governors of SCO member states.
Third, the prime ministers agreed to promote trade facilitation, improve port infrastructure construction and enhance capability and efficiency of going through the Customs. They also agreed to resolve the problems of product quality and safety in regional trade and facilitate commodity circulation in the region.
Fourth, consensus was reached to expand agricultural cooperation and to engage in cooperation in science and technology. The prime ministers agreed to work out and implement a range of joint projects to improve the member states' capacity to cope with global challenges. They also pledged to launch the SCO information superhighway.
The next prime ministers' meeting of the SCO member states is to be held in Kyrgyzstan in 2010.
SCO Secretary-General Bolat Nurgaliev, as well as heads of the Executive Committee of SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), the SCO Business Council and SCO Interbank Consortium were present at the meeting as guests.
Following the meeting, the prime ministers of the member states signed a joint communiqué (the full text of the joint communiqué will be released separately), adopted the resolutions of the meeting and met the press. Premier Wen on behalf of all the participants elaborated the outcome achieved and consensus reached at the meeting. He stressed that confidence, determination and perseverance are the source for member states to shake off crisis, overcome difficulty and move forward. So long as all member states join hands and deepen cooperation with perseverance, they will be able to create a bright future of lasting peace and common prosperity for the region.
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission Zhang Ping, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, Minister of the General Administration of Customs Sheng Guangzu and Director of Research Office of the State Council Xie Fuzhan attended the above activities.