Speech by H.E. Li Qiang

Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

At the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

BISHKEK, October 26, 2023

Your Excellency Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov,
Colleagues,

I am delighted to join you in Bishkek, a prominent city on the ancient Silk Road. At the outset, I wish to thank Prime Minister Japarov and the Kyrgyz government for the meticulous preparations and thoughtful arrangements made for the meeting.

At the SCO Meeting of the Council of Heads of State last July, President Xi Jinping and fellow SCO leaders reached important consensus on promoting the Shanghai Spirit to build an even closer SCO community with a shared future, and identified the priority tasks for achieving the goal. As I see it, the objective of the Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government is to follow up on and deliver the outcomes of the Meeting of the Council of Heads of State. How do we do that? In terms of action, we need to flesh out the tasks and timetable, and implement them one by one. At the conceptual level, we need to develop a clearer understanding of some basic and fundamental questions. Only with a more accurate perception can we take more informed actions. In this connection, I wish to share with you my thoughts on three questions regarding how to better act upon the Shanghai Spirit and implement the consensus of the Meeting of the Council of Heads of State.

The first question is: What brought us together? To answer this question, we need to go back to the starting point of the SCO, in other words, the founding mission or original aspiration of this Organization. We Chinese often say, never forget why you started, and you can accomplish your mission. Twenty-two years ago, the SCO was founded in response to the shared aspiration of regional countries for promoting friendship, safeguarding security and pursuing development. Today, the Organization has grown from the original "Shanghai Five" to nine member states, three observer states, and 14 dialogue partners. SCO member states now account for nearly half of the world's population and about one quarter of the global GDP. The SCO's development is a vivid illustration of the Shanghai Spirit, and a clear example of its strong vitality. To put it plainly, we came together in the firm belief that regional affairs should be discussed and managed together by countries in the region, free from the disturbance, meddling and manipulation of non-regional countries. Such a belief is also reflected in our accommodation toward each other and our autonomy as a whole. In today's turbulent and changing world, it is all the more necessary that we review the founding mission of the SCO. It is where we started our journey, and also a lodestar providing a direction of certainty as we navigate the uncertain times. Only when we remain true to the founding mission and uphold solidarity and coordination can we truly safeguard peace and tranquility and boost development and prosperity in our region, and contribute more certainty and positive energy to world peace and development.

The second question is: What important things can we learn from our journey? By answering this question, we aim to find the key to the success of the SCO so as to gain wisdom and strengths for going even further. Since its inception, the SCO has brought together countries at different development stages and with diverse cultural traditions, and gathered a powerful force for solidarity, cooperation and development. In this process, it has made important explorations in both theories and practice for building a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind. At the Samarkand Summit last year, President Xi Jinping made a systematic summary of SCO's experience and stressed the importance of upholding political trust, win-win cooperation, equality between nations, openness and inclusiveness, and equity and justice. Our commitment to these five principles is the key to the success and development of the SCO. On our way forward, there are many risks and challenges that require a concerted response from us all. We need to keep abreast of the situation and adapt to the changing circumstances. More importantly, we need to hold onto the principles that enabled our past success, and seek inspirations from them for more effective interactions and more efficient cooperation. This way, we will be able to gather stronger driving force for greater development.

The third question is: How do we get to a better future together? This is a question about how to turn theories into practice, and make a blueprint into a real-life picture. In this process, I believe two things are vitally important. The first is about methodology, that is to keep our eyes on the larger picture and start from concrete steps. We need to act on the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, and ensure solid progress of our cooperation in all areas of development, security and civilization. The second is about attitude, that is to work toward the same goal and contribute to each other's success. A bright future is never a windfall. Everyone should actively work for it and contribute their share, rather than passively look on or evade their task.

In light of the current international situation and realities of regional countries, I would like to propose the following: First, we need to work together to strengthen the shield of regional security. We need to resolutely resist external interference and oppose camp-based confrontation. We need to improve the SCO's mechanism for tackling security threats and challenges as quickly as possible, and crack down hard on the forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism and transnational organized crimes. Second, we need to work together to speed up economic recovery. We need to jointly develop safe and efficient transportation systems, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and keep industrial and supply chains stable and smooth. China will continue to increase import of quality products from other SCO member states. Third, we need to work together to advance Belt and Road cooperation. Last week, the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was successfully held in Beijing. This grand gathering, which was attended by representatives from 151 countries and 41 international organizations, speaks volumes about the great appeal and global influence of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Over the past decade, the BRI has delivered concrete benefits to the world and blazed a path of cooperation, opportunity and prosperity that leads to common development. It has become the most popular global public good and the largest international cooperation platform in our world today. China is ready to work with all parties to further synergize high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with the development strategies of other countries, and push forward the building of important economic corridors. We need to work to establish an SCO development bank to meet the financing and development needs of member states. Fourth, we need to work together to promote mutual understanding and amity between our peoples. We need to continuously deepen cooperation in such areas as education, culture, tourism and sports, and ensure the success of signature programs such as the SCO Forum on People-to-People Friendship. China supports more higher learning institutions in joining the SCO University, proposes the establishment of a China-SCO emergency medical cooperation center, and welcomes more scholars and students to China for study and exchange.

Colleagues,

A famous line from the Kyrgyz epic Manas says that those who work hard will succeed. So let us work even harder to implement the Shanghai Spirit, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and create a better life for all our peoples!

Thank you.