China and Russia urge SCO members to cooperate more
China and Russia have called on members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to significantly expand their cooperation. In his speech at the SCO summit in Astana, China's President Xi Jinping urged to "ward off external interferences." "Facing the real risks that small countries are being shielded by high walls, we must protect the right to development," CCTV quoted Xi as saying in his speech on Thursday - apparently in reference to a spreading protectionism against China in Western countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also attended the meeting. According to Russian reports, he proposed discussing a series of new collective security treaties for Eurasia within the group. Putin had said earlier that a new regional security system was necessary. In a part of his speech to the SCO, published by the Kremlin, Putin also welcomed the increasing use of national currencies instead of the Dollar in trade between SCO members and called for the creation of a new payment system within the group.
China has been trying for a long time to bring organizations like the BRICS emerging market countries or the SCO to a closed stance against the US. The SCO bloc with its ten members must "peacefully resolve internal differences," find commonalities, and solve cooperation difficulties, Xi said. The Chinese president also stressed, according to CCTV, the necessity of promoting scientific and technological innovations together and securing the stability of internal industrial and supply chains.
While addressing the SCO Summit, China's President Xi Jinping emphasized the need for SCO members to strengthen their cooperation to counter external interferences. Russia, being a fellow SCO member, proposed discussing new collective security treaties for Eurasia during the meeting. In line with this, Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted the importance of using national currencies instead of the Dollar in trade between SCO members and advocated for the creation of a new payment system within the group.
