China Focus: SCO stresses regional economic growth, backs Chinese proposals
(Xinhua)| Updated : 2018-05-21
Print PrintChinese Premier Li Keqiang (6th L, front) poses for a group photo with other participants of the 14th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, Dec. 15, 2015. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)
ZHENGZHOU, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) concluded its prime ministers' meeting in central Chinese city of Zhengzhou by promising to boost regional economic cooperation.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and leaders from other SCO members, namely Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, gathered in Zhengzhou on Tuesday for the 14th SCO prime ministers' meeting.
The prime ministers confirmed the support for China's Silk Road Economic Belt plan and issued a statement on regional economic cooperation. They expect the implementation of the initiative will promote gradual sustainable economic growth and support peace and stability in the region.
"China intends to replicate its industrial capacity cooperation with Kazakhstan with other SCO countries and forge internationally competitive industrial cooperation chains," Premier Li said when presiding over the meeting.
China and Kazakhstan signed an agreement of industrial capacity cooperation in 2014 and have reached deals worth about 23 billion U.S. dollars. They have identified 52 projects for early harvest, with more than 10 projects already or about to be launched, covering automobile assembly, energy, chemistry and cement among others.
"The SCO members, seated in the core area of the ancient Silk Road, face great opportunities for cooperation with the implementation of China's Belt and Road Initiative underway," said Gao Fei of China Foreign Affairs University.
The leaders also agreed to develop an international transportation corridor of roads and railways. China has proposed a Eurasian connectivity to raise the efficiency of China-Europe freight trains.