On Nov. 7, 2011, Premier Wen Jiabao attended the Tenth Prime Ministers’ Meeting of the SCO Member States in St. Petersburg, Russia.
In his speech, Wen said that since the its inception 10 years ago, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has been marching forward steadily toward the goal of safeguarding regional security and promoting common development, has created a united and harmonious political environment, and has formed the strong synergies to combat the “three forces”. The SCO has strengthened economic cooperation between member states and fostered the belief in generational friendship. These tangible results have laid the foundation for member states to work together to tackle the financial crisis and other challenges and safeguard common interests of member states. Currently, the international situation is undergoing major changes and adjustments. The SCO needs not only to withstand severe tests, but also to seize development opportunities for the benefit of people in the region so as to make due contributions to the establishment of a fair and rational international political and economic order.
Wen pointed out that China, as the rotating presidency of the SCO, is willing to work with all parties to actively develop and implement the 10-year plan covering all areas including political, economic, and cultural areas. China, in solidarity and cooperation with member states, is willing to make relentless efforts to achieve the established goals and tasks of the SCO and make new and greater contributions to promoting regional and global peace and development.
Premier Wen made the following suggestions on strengthening pragmatic cooperation of the SCO:
First, to seize cooperation opportunities presented by economic restructuring of member states, take active measures to promote the free movement of goods, capital, technology and service between member states, and further invigorate the economic and trade cooperation within the framework of the SCO.
Second, to establish a a multi-level and multi-channel financing cooperation system, increase financing support to regional economic cooperation projects, continue to expand currency swap and settlement cooperation, and strengthen coordination on macroeconomic and financial policies.
Third, to speed up the interconnection of transport, energy, communications infrastructure and lay a solid foundation for the region’s economic and trade cooperation.
Fourth, to promote the application of nuclear energy, solar, wind and other clean energy and provide a wide range of energy solutions for the economic development of member states.
Fifth, to promote good varieties through the establishment of SCO “seeds bank”, strengthen such initiatives such as training on agricultural technology, prevention and control of plant and animal diseases, and improve mechanisms for food security cooperation.
Sixth, to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation and realize sustainable development by different means such as co-construction of cross-border economic cooperation zones and high-tech development zones.
Seventh, to establish an epidemic reporting and joint prevention and control mechanism as quickly as possible and improve the abilities for early warning and emergency response to large-scale infectious diseases and other public health emergencies.
Eighth, to promote youth exchanges, give full play to their enthusiasm to participate in the exchanges under the framework of the SCO, run well the “Year of Good-Neighborliness and Friendship”, and enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the people.
Ninth, to establish closer and mutually beneficial partnership with observer countries.
The participating leaders of the SCO members and observers spoke highly of the fruitful results since the establishment of the organization and agreed that the international influence of the SCO continues to grow and there are huge development potentials. In the face of profound and complex changes in the international and regional situation, the SCO should strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and actively promote the building of the organization, and deepen political, economic and security cooperation. The SCO should build itself into a platform for enhancing exchanges and cooperation of the region so as to better safeguard the common interests of member states and play a more active role in promoting regional peace, stability and development and building an equitable and rational international political and economic order.
The leaders of member states signed the joint communique of the prime ministers’ meeting and issued the Joint Statement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States Heads of Government (Prime Minister) on the Economic Situation of the World and the SCO Region and other outcome documents.
The meeting decided that the next prime ministers’ meeting will be held in Kyrgyzstan in 2012.
During the meeting, Premier Wen also met with the staff of the Chinese Embassy in Russia and representatives of Chinese-funded institutions in Russia, overseas Chinese and Chinese students.