The upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit, scheduled from Sunday to Monday, will become a summit of friendship, solidarity and fruitful outcomes, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press conference in Beijing on Friday.
Guo made the statement as the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy Studies Center held a launch event for the book Stories of the SCO in the New Era last week, inviting the public to share their own experience of participating in SCO cooperation.
"SCO cooperation in various fields has flourished in the new era with many touching stories. Centering on building a SCO community with a shared future and on the development of the SCO as was proposed by President Xi Jinping, the book Stories of the SCO in the New Era included 18 vivid stories of SCO countries engaging in mutually beneficial cooperation and benefiting the people in areas of science and technology, people's wellbeing, environmental protection, and cultural and people-to-people exchange. It is a vivid illustration of the vision of building an SCO community with a shared future, and will help build closer bond between the people in the big family of the SCO," said Guo.
"We believe that with the concerted effort of all parties, the upcoming SCO Tianjin Summit will become a summit of friendship, solidarity and fruitful outcomes, and the SCO will enter a new stage of high-quality development featuring greater solidarity, coordination, dynamism and productiveness, and contribute more solutions and strength to building a community with a shared future for humanity," he said.
SCO Tianjin Summit set to be gathering of friendship, unity, fruitful results: spokesman
The Republic of Korea (ROK)'s former impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday was sentenced to five years in prison on arrest obstruction charges.
The criminal division of the Seoul Central District Court in charge of Yoon's obstruction of justice case handed down the prison sentence to Yoon for abusing the presidential security service to hinder the anti-corruption agency from executing its arrest warrant in January 2025.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) was once thwarted in its attempt to arrest Yoon as the presidential security service formed human shields and bus blockades to prevent investigators from entering the presidential residence.
The team of Cho Eun-suk, an independent counsel who led investigations into Yoon's insurrection and other charges, demanded a 10-year prison term for Yoon.
The court said Yoon privatized the presidential security service for personal safety and private interests by blocking the law enforcement agencies' lawful execution of an arrest warrant and attempting to destroy evidence, pointing out that despite the very bad nature of his crime, he consistently offered unconvincing excuses and showed no remorse.
The court stressed that severe punishment was necessary, considering the need to restore the rule of law damaged by Yoon's crime, but it noted that the fact that he was a first-time offender with no criminal record was considered a favorable factor.
The sentencing, which was broadcast live, was Yoon's first verdict coming from his botched martial law bid.
The first-instance sentencing for Yoon's insurrection charges was scheduled for Feb 19. The special counsel sought a death penalty for Yoon on the charges.
Yoon declared emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3 in 2024, but it was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.
The constitutional court upheld a motion to impeach Yoon in April 2025, officially removing him from office.
The ousted leader was indicted while in detention in January 2025 on charges of leading an insurrection, becoming the first sitting ROK president facing such prosecution.
ROK ex-president Yoon sentenced to 5 years in prison on arrest obstruction charges
ROK ex-president Yoon sentenced to 5 years in prison on arrest obstruction charges
