After assuming the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in July, China has commenced its work and will organize over 100 meetings and events to further deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields and promote the building of a closer SCO community with a shared future.

Over the past two decades, the SCO has played a significant role in maintaining global and regional stability. Expanding from six founding members to nine members, and 17 dialogue partners and observer states, the SCO's influence, cohesion and appeal have been continuously enhanced.

As a founding member of the SCO, China has always prioritized it in its foreign policy. The SCO has maintained its vitality primarily because it has consistently upheld the Shanghai Spirit. China has made it clear that after assuming the rotating presidency, it will work in solidarity with SCO partners and move forward hand-in-hand with more countries and international organizations that subscribe to the Shanghai Spirit, making the prospect of building a community with a shared future for mankind even more promising.

The 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO, which will be held in China next year, is the most important event within the SCO framework and the core activity during China's presidency. The meetings and events hosted by China will focus on advancing pragmatic cooperation in five directions, namely consolidating political mutual trust, safeguarding common security, promoting common prosperity, strengthening people-to-people exchanges, and enhancing institutional effectiveness.

Achieving modernization is a common goal of SCO countries. China proposes to designate 2025 as the SCO Year of Sustainable Development and will continuously promote high-quality synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative and the development strategies of regional countries, thereby helping them pursue modernization. Promoting global governance in a more just and rational way is an important path for creating a better future for mankind.

During China's presidency of the SCO, it will issue a summit declaration in conjunction with the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, voicing the common stance of SCO member countries on major international and regional issues and helping strengthen the SCO to addressing global challenges.

PEOPLE'S DAILY