Preparations for 2025 SCO summit in full swing: Foreign Ministry official

China is comprehensively advancing all preparatory work for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit to be held in the northern Tianjin Municipality this autumn, said Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Bin.

Assuming the rotating presidency of the SCO for 2024-2025,, China has been putting together more than 100 events in political, security, economic, and people-to-people fields under the theme of "Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move."

Considered the most significant annual event of the SCO, the summit serves as a platform for leaders of member states to consult and make decisions on major issues concerning the organization's development and cooperation.

"China, for the time being, is comprehensively advancing all preparatory work, working closely with all parties to draft cooperation plans in political, security, economic, and cultural fields, as well as formulating the SCO's development strategy for the next decade. Efforts are being made to push for the organizational operations, enhance the decision-making efficiency, and discuss significant matters such as the organization's future expansion. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Therefore, the summit will present a unified voice on major international and regional issues and adopt relevant important documents," Liu said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Beijing.

Following Shanghai, Beijing and Qingdao, Tianjin will become the fourth Chinese city to host the SCO summit. "Tianjin is a base for advanced manufacturing research and development in China, a northern hub for international shipping, a demonstration zone for financial innovation and operations, a pilot zone for reform and opening up, and a core city in the Bohai Economic Rim. It boasts over 600 years of history as well as an open, diverse and inclusive culture. Holding the SCO summit in Tianjin will surely bring cooperation opportunities of Chinese modernization to the SCO, while showcasing the latest achievements and vitality of China's economic and social development. We believe that the Tianjin summit will present world-class standards and unique value, creating a gathering characterized by friendship, unity, vibrant highlights, and fruitful outcomes," said Liu.

In recent years, the SCO has incorporated new members who recognize the Shanghai Spirit, which is defined by mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development.

Now, with nine member states, three observer states and 14 dialogue partners, the SCO is the world's largest regional organization in terms of geographical scale and population.

Preparations for 2025 SCO summit in full swing: Foreign Ministry official

Preparations for 2025 SCO summit in full swing: Foreign Ministry official

Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, held talks with Tomio Okamura, speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, in Beijing on Thursday.

Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Czech strategic partnership, Zhao, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China stands ready to work with the Czech side to carry forward traditional friendship, enhance mutual understanding and trust, strengthen exchanges and cooperation, and promote the sound and steady growth of bilateral relations.

Zhao called on both sides to consolidate the political foundation of their ties, sustain the momentum of improvement in bilateral relations, and resume and step up exchanges and interactions at all levels and across all fields.

Both sides should further tap cooperation potential, give full play to the role of mechanisms such as the economic joint committee between China and Czech and the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo, explore ways to strengthen cooperation in new energy, electric vehicles and other fields, and support enterprises of the two countries in expanding investment cooperation, Zhao added.

The NPC is ready to enhance friendly exchanges with the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, carry out mutual learning and exchanges on legislative supervision, economic development, improvement of people's livelihood, formulate, revise and ratify legal documents conducive to bilateral cooperation, and maintain close communication and collaboration within multilateral mechanisms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Zhao said.

Zhao also said China is willing to work with all countries, including the Czech Republic, to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence and promote the establishment of a fair and equitable global governance system for AI.

Okamura said the Czech Republic adheres to the one-China policy, adding that it hopes to strengthen tourism cooperation with China and welcome more Chinese tourists to visit the Czech Republic, expand cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, cultural relic exhibitions, and direct flights, and enhance people-to-people exchanges.

The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic stands ready to strengthen friendly exchanges with China's NPC and enhance the friendship between the two peoples, Okamura added.

China's top legislator holds talks with speaker of Czech Chamber of Deputies