SCO serves as "great platform" for political, business cooperation: Kazakh minister

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a "great platform" that nurtures political and business cooperation and delivers tremendous opportunities for Kazakhstan, according to Kanat Sharlapaev, the country's minister of industry and construction.

Speaking in an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) ahead of the SCO summit which is taking place in the Kazakh capital Astana from Wednesday to Thursday, Sharlapaev outlined the significant potential the organization offers to member states.

"I think the SCO is a great platform for everybody. And to us, importantly, it is to develop cooperation between our countries. I think that's one part of what is particularly good to be hosting such an event. And the other part, which is obviously a lot more relevant for somebody who is in charge of industry and construction, is there's a lot of business meetings taking place right now. I think to us, having this platform to cooperate both at political and a business level has tremendous advantage for Kazakhstan," he said.

The minister pointed out that Kazakhstan's central Eurasian location and participation in the Belt and Road Initiative has helped the country facilitate strong collaborations with China, and said more future projects are in the pipeline.

"I think Kazakhstan, from the location standpoint, is also a perfect location because it is in the center of Eurasia. It's been part of the Belt and Road Initiative for many, many years now. China is a big investor in our manufacturing industry, or at least in many ways, a great collaborator. So we collaborate very well with the industrial companies in China. I'll give you one example: right now, as we speak, we're building a facility in Almaty, a car factory, [capable of producing] 90,000 units per year. And this factory will be producing Chinese car brands. And we expect to launch this in the first half of 2025," said Sharlapaev.

The SCO was established in Shanghai back in 2001 with the founding members being China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Last year, India, Iran, and Pakistan joined as full member states, with many other countries getting candidate or observer status.

SCO serves as "great platform" for political, business cooperation: Kazakh minister

China Media Group (CMG), China's flagship broadcaster, held a cultural exchange event at the Nauruz Palace in Tajikistan's capital city Dushanbe on Friday to further promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

The event coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the Central Asian country.

Shen Haixiong, vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and president of CMG, Tajik Culture Minister Sattoriyon Matlubahon Amonzoda, Chairman of the National Radio and Television Commission of Tajikistan Nuriddin Said, former Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Rashid Alimov, along with other distinguished guests, attended the event and delivered speeches.

Guests emphasized the longstanding and continually growing friendship between China and Tajikistan, and highlighted the need to make full use of the opportunity afforded by this event to further promote cooperation between the two countries and advance common development.

The event featured a musical performance by students and teachers from the Tajik National Conservatory, who played traditional Chinese instruments and Tajik national instruments to perform classic Tajik pieces titled "Friendship" and "Silk Road Symphony," which symbolize the enduring bond between the two countries.

During the event, the "China Up Close" joint media interview activity was also launched. The initiative will see Tajik mainstream journalists travel across China and experience the unique charm of the country through interviews, observations and research.

China-Tajikistan cultural exchange event held in Dushanbe