The 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be held in Pakistan. This will be beneficial for delivering the outcomes of the Meeting of the Council of Heads of State, and joining hands to build a more beautiful home of the SCO.

This July, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and delivered an important speech. President Xi pointed out that, the SCO founding members made a historic decision to pursue peaceful development, commit themselves to good-neighborliness and friendship and build a new type of international relations, and the "Shanghai Spirit" has become a shared value and guiding principle for its member states. The SCO family now has 26 countries, up from 6 members in its early days, including 10 member states, 2 observer states, and 14 dialogue partners. SCO member states now account for nearly half of the world's population and about one quarter of the global GDP. It has grown into a comprehensive regional cooperation organization that covers the largest area and population in the world. The SCO's development is a vivid illustration of the Shanghai Spirit, and a clear example of its strong vitality. 

“A just cause finds great support, and a journey with many companions gets far.” President Xi stressed that the fundamental reason that the SCO has been able to withstand the test of the changing international landscape lies in the fact that the SCO members have remained committed to the fine tradition of solidarity and coordination, adhered to the principles of equality and mutual benefit in cooperation, upheld the values of fairness and justice, and stayed broad-minded and inclusive and embraced mutual learning. As the world is faced with accelerating changes unseen in a century, human society is again standing at a crossroads in history. It is of crucial importance to the world that the SCO stands on the right side of history and on the side of fairness and justice. China calls for building common home of solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, and fairness and justice. We need to bear in mind that we live in a community with a shared future, and always uphold the Shanghai Spirit. We need to stay firmly on the development paths that suit our respective national conditions and regional realities.

China and Iran are both important developing countries and both adhere to true multilateralism. Since Iran successfully joined the SCO one year ago, it has actively participated in various cooperation under the SCO framework and achieved fruitful results. Iran's joining to the SCO has injected new vitality into it, which is in line with the expectations of the international community and the common interests of emerging market countries and developing countries.

Following the Astana summit in July, China has formally taken over the rotating presidency of the SCO for 2024-2025 and will host a summit in 2025 as is the common practice. China attaches great importance to the presidency and has fully started our work. China will use the good opportunity of our rotating presidency to work closely with SCO partners including Iran in political, security, economic and cultural areas, give full play to the SCO’s role as a shield of security, a bridge of cooperation, a bond of friendship and a force for good in the region, and contribute more to the peace, stability, development and prosperity of the region and beyond.