The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers' Meeting, which was convened on Thursday in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, aims at promoting practical cooperation in safeguarding regional stability, according to a professional.
Hosted by Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, the meeting saw the attendance of defense leaders of other SCO member countries, as well as senior officials of the SCO Secretariat and Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.
The meeting is one of the important activities sponsored by China as the rotating presidency of the SCO this year. Its outcomes are expected to provide strong support for building a common home of solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, and fairness and justice.
All parties participating in the meeting agreed that it is necessary for the SCO to serve as an anchor of stability amid the current complex and turbulent global situation, and for the member states to continue strengthening strategic communication.
Zhang Chi, a professor at the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) National Defense University, pointed out the sharp contrast between the SCO meeting and international defense conferences dominated by the West in an interview with China Central Television.
"The SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting is different from other international conferences, especially multilateral ones dominated by the United States and other Western countries mainly in two aspects. First, it shows full respect for all participants. We know some U.S.-Western-led conferences, like the Shangri-La Dialog, often deliberately discuss some sensitive and contentious issues, even setting traps to corner certain participants. In contrast, our SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting shows full respect for all participants and features friendly dialog and consultation. The second difference is that it is committed to promoting solidarity and cooperation. The United States and other Western countries often incite confrontation at some international meetings, intensifying international and regional tensions. Yet the SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting advocates maintaining regional peace and stability, strengthening strategic communication, and advancing practical cooperation. This injects positive energy into global peace and development," Zhang said.
Speaking at the event, Dong noted that China is willing to work with all SCO member states to adhere to the original aspiration of the organization, carry forward the "Shanghai Spirit", firmly safeguard international fairness and justice, jointly address security challenges, and promote steady and far-reaching defense and security cooperation.
"China's address at the meeting mainly embodies its broad mind, sense of responsibility, and consciousness to take concrete actions. First, the broad mind. China pointed out that the SCO is open and inclusive, adheres to solidarity and cooperation, pursues common security, gathers consensus and resolves differences, conducts close coordination and is committed to building an SCO community with a shared future. Second, the sense of responsibility. China emphasized that in the current volatile and tumultuous international and regional environment, the SCO should play the role of an anchor of stability, and all member states must join hands in safeguarding international and regional peace and stability. Third, consciousness to take concrete actions. China has been dedicated to advancing practical cooperation with other SCO members in the field of defense and security," Zhang said.
Since its inception in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO has expanded from a regional organization with six members into a trans-regional organization with 10 full members, two observer countries, and 14 dialog partners.
It has not only established a broad cooperation framework but also provided constructive solutions to global development challenges.
"One of the SCO's key focuses is combating the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism. Its Peace Mission joint anti-terrorism military exercises specifically target international terrorist forces. They have involved not only SCO member states but also observer states. The core region of the SCO is Central Asia, which has remained generally stable for so many years. This is inseparable from the SCO's defense and security exercises," said Li Shuyin, a researcher of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, who participated in the Qingdao meeting, spoke highly of the SCO's role in maintaining peace and stability.
"This platform can be a very important vehicle to further the peace in this region and protect the countries of this region, so they can live in harmony and work for economic development of our citizens. I'm suggesting that this SCO should be widened, and more countries of this region and beyond should be included in this arrangement," Asif said.
SCO defense ministers' meeting aims to deepen practical cooperation: experts
