ASTANA: China-proposed initiatives have brought dividends to the well-being of people worldwide, and have led the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to become a constructive force in safeguarding equity and justice, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun said on Friday in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Today’s world is undergoing accelerating changes unseen in a century, Dong noted in a speech during the annual SCO defense ministers’ meeting, adding that proceeding from the common interests of mankind, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative, representing humanity’s joint pursuit of a better world.
The region and the SCO were among the first to witness these ideas and initiatives being turned into real projects, said Dong, who led a Chinese delegation to the meeting held in the capital city of Kazakhstan.
The ideas and initiatives have led the SCO to become a community with a shared future featuring mutual assistance and a constructive force in safeguarding equity and justice, Dong said.
The SCO should set an example of solidarity and cooperation amidst increasing instability and disorder in global governance, serve as a promoter of dialogues for peace in the face of complicated and troublesome conflicts and disputes, and become a guardian of common security against the backdrop of intertwined and interconnected security issues, he said.
Advancing Chinese modernization through high-quality development, China will provide more opportunities for countries around the world, he said, adding that China stands ready to work with regional countries to implement the GSI and promote common security through common development.
Regional countries, now at a critical stage of development and revitalization, call for development, aspire to stability, and depend on security, Dong noted.
Stressing the need to uphold solidarity and mutual trust, share weal and woe, and seek common ground while resolving differences, Dong said SCO member states should jointly build an SCO community of security for all that is more stable, resilient, open, inclusive and influential by improving the cooperation mechanism, expanding military cooperation at a higher level, forming a greater anti-terrorism synergy, and promoting more extensive youth exchanges, in a bid to provide a strong guarantee for safeguarding common interests, and make greater contributions to regional and world peace.
During the meeting, heads of defense departments of the SCO member states reviewed the cooperation results achieved since last year’s meeting, and expressed their willingness to continuously strengthen strategic communication, push forward practical cooperation, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.
A joint communique was issued after the meeting.
During his stay in Kazakhstan, Dong met respectively with defense ministers of Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus. He also held separate talks with defense ministers of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, during which he exchanged views with the two defense ministers on the international and regional situations, state-to-state and military-to-military relations, and issues of common concern.
