China-built Turgusun hydropower station on the Turgusun River near the city of Altai, Kazakhstan. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By Staff Reporters

Speaking at the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on September 16, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the members to pursue inclusiveness and shared benefits in promoting development cooperation, saying that they should actively promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, ensure the stable and smooth functioning of industrial and supply chains, and encourage the orderly flow of resources and factors of production, so as to realize greater economic integration and development in the region.

In fact, in decades' time, the SCO has grown into a major force for common development in the region and beyond. More than 30 cooperation projects have been implemented in terms of trade, legal service, health and poverty alleviation, bearing fruitful results that benefit people of all countries.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Kazakhstan, as well as between China and Uzbekistan. Over the past 30 years, China's relations with the two countries have maintained a sound momentum of development.

China and Kazakhstan are good partners pursuing common development. China is the biggest trading partner and a major investor in Kazakhstan, bringing bilateral trade above the 25 billion USD mark last year.

A number of major strategic projects have been completed, such as the 100-MW Zhanatas wind farm, the JAC automobile factory, and Shymkent Oil Refinery modernization. Strong impetus has been injected into economic and social progress in Kazakhstan. 

Since 2016 when China-Uzbekistan relations were upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership, China has become Uzbekistan's largest trading partner and export destination.

The two sides have also carried out robust cooperation in new energy, agriculture, finance and modern telecommunications, delivering greater benefits for the two peoples.

Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative has been promising, and major projects are making steady progress. All four lines of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline run through Uzbekistan. In addition, the tunnel on the Angren-Pap railway line, the longest tunnel in Central Asia, has been successfully completed.

Practices over the years have shown that the values embodied and advocated by the Shanghai Spirit have been fully recognized by the member states, said Zhang Ming, secretary-general of the SCO.