SCO upholds Shanghai Spirit to boost international cooperation: Senior Uzbek lawmaker

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has remained committed to the Shanghai Spirit as it actively promotes international cooperation, a senior Uzbek lawmaker has said.

Speaking in an interview with China Media Group on Tuesday -- days ahead of the SCO 2026 Summit in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Sodiq Safoyev, first deputy chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis (national parliament) of Uzbekistan, elaborated on how the concept was formed and how it is performed by the organization.

"China and Uzbekistan firmly believe that this organization is not blocked. It's not against someone, or against other organizations. It is for more international cooperation and uniting the efforts of the many countries in addressing the challenges of the modern world. And from the beginning, it demonstrates absolutely new approach to the multilateral cooperation. We proudly call it the 'Shanghai Spirit' as a new way of cooperating between big countries and small countries. That's why we've highly appreciated from the beginning our partnership in the platform of this organization. There are two wings -- security and economic development," said Safoyev.

"Moreover, steadily, this organization started to address other issues, cultural diplomacy, education, the ecological issues. I think that next week we're going to have the next summit of this organization in Bishkek. We hope that this tendency of transforming this organization as a full-fledged organization of regional development will be consolidated," he added.

Put forward by the founding member states of the SCO in 2001, the Shanghai Spirit features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development.

Guided by the Shanghai Spirit, the SCO has expanded from six founding members to a 27-nation family. Demonstrating strong vitality and broad appeal, it has stood out as a model for a new type of international relations.

SCO upholds Shanghai Spirit to boost international cooperation: Senior Uzbek lawmaker

SCO upholds Shanghai Spirit to boost international cooperation: Senior Uzbek lawmaker

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also China's lead person for China-U.S. economic and trade affairs, held a video call on Friday with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

The two sides held candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges on implementing the important consensus reached between the two heads of state at their meetings in Beijing and Washington and the outcomes of economic and trade consultations, and on key economic and trade issues of mutual concern.

The Chinese side expressed serious concern over recent U.S. economic and trade restrictions against China.

Both sides agreed that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, they would further leverage the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism, continuously strengthen cooperation and properly manage differences so as to promote the stable and positive development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations, and contribute to building a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability based on respect, fairness and reciprocity.

Chinese vice premier holds video call with U.S. treasury secretary, trade representative