Photo taken on April 3, 2023 shows the wind turbines of the 100-MW Zhanatas wind farm in Kazakhstan. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By Staff Reporters

The 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) took place in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, on July 3 and 4.  Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the meeting and discussed the future of the organization and ways to advance cooperation so as to achieve new and greater progress for this important multilateral mechanism.

Expanding global influence

Since its establishment 23 years ago in Shanghai, the SCO has grown from six founding members to include nine member states, three observers, and 14 dialogue partners. The total population of the member states represents nearly half of the global population, and their combined territory accounts for a quarter of the world's land area. This development highlights the organization's increasing influence on the global stage.

Economic and technological cooperation

Trade among member states has seen substantial growth, with investment cooperation actively promoted. According to the Report on Trade Development over 20 Years Since the Establishment of SCO released in 2022, the total trade value of SCO member states increased nearly 100 times over the past 20 years. Their share in global trade value rose from 5.4 percent in 2001 to 17.5 percent in 2020, demonstrating the SCO's growing impact on global trade.

Cooperation between China and Central Asian countries in new energy and technology has also yielded significant results. Projects such as Kazakhstan's 100-MW Zhanatas wind farm and a wind project in its Akmola region have set new power generation records for wind power in Central Asia. The 220 MWac Samarkand solar PV plant constructed by a Chinese company in Uzbekistan is expected to provide electricity to 264,000 households and reduce approximately 237,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Strengthening regional security

Maintaining regional peace and safeguarding common security is the foundation of the SCO. In recent years, the member states have carried out efficient cooperation in such areas as jointly combating the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism, and extremism, curbing the spread of drugs, protecting data security and safeguarding outer space security. This cooperation has significantly enhanced their capacity to manage regional security risks.

The China-SCO Judicial Exchange and Cooperation Training Center was inaugurated 10 years ago. Over the decade, 65 online and offline training courses have been held, training more than 2,300 participants, mainly from the member states and other Belt and Road Initiative partner countries.