The 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) adopted the Astana Declaration on Thursday in the Kazakh capital.
The SCO members reaffirm their commitment to building a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind.
They oppose confrontation mindset and stand against the attempt to settle international and regional issues with that approach.
China's Qingdao City was declared the SCO tourist, cultural capital for 2024-2025.
The SCO was established in 2001 with the "Shanghai Spirit" as its founding values, which champion mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development.
After Belarus officially joined the regional intergovernmental organization on Thursday, the SCO now has 10 member states, two observer states and 14 dialog partners.
SCO summit adopts Astana Declaration
SCO summit adopts Astana Declaration
SCO summit adopts Astana Declaration
SCO summit adopts Astana Declaration
A flag-raising ceremony was held at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Secretariat in Beijing on Saturday to mark the accession of Belarus to the regional intergovernmental organization.
Belarus was formally accepted as the 10th member state of the organization at the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO held in the Kazakh capital city of Astana on Thursday.
SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming and Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov, who is on an official visit to China, jointly raised the national flag of Belarus at the ceremony.
"Since its establishment, the SCO has always adhered to the Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development. The accession of Belarus will enable us to better leverage our organizational strengths and jointly address regional and international challenges and risks," Zhang said.
"Take SCO member states for example. The SCO member states and their peoples have the opportunity to feel that there exists such an important platform in the world. It is a place where everyone's voice can be heard, where respectful dialogue can take place and where the history, culture and national identity of countries can be understood and taken into account. Within the context of global turmoil, it carries particularly important value to us that the SCO member states are able to reach consensus and take future-oriented and coordinated decisions," said Ryzhenkov.
As a comprehensive regional organization with the largest population and the most extensive territory in the world, the SCO has grown from six founding members in 2001 to 10 member states, two observer states and 14 dialogue partners currently.
After the summit in Astana this year, China once again took over the rotating presidency of the SCO. China proposed to build a common home of solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, and fairness and justice.
"We will actively fulfill our duties and push the SCO to deepen cooperation in political, security, economic, cultural and other fields. China looks forward to working with Belarus and other member states to make the SCO more united, more efficient in cooperation and more effective in action, so as to better benefit the people of all countries in the region," said Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Xiaodong at the ceremony.
Flag-raising ceremony held at SCO secretariat to mark Belarus' accession
