State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from July 28-29 and exchange opinions with ministers over international and regional situation and the cooperation of the SCO in various fields. The ministers will also make full preparation for this year's SCO summit during the meeting, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced on Tuesday.

Wang will also visit Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan following the SCO meeting, at invitation of the three countries' foreign ministers, Zhao said.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the SCO Charter and the 15th anniversary of the Treaty of Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between the Member States. Based on these documents, the SCO has been upholding the Shanghai spirit, enhancing cooperation in various fields and exploring a new successful approach for regional cooperative organizations, as well as making great contributions to creating a new type of international relationship and building the community of a shared future for humankind, Zhao noted.

The Shanghai Spirit, as the undergirding values and guidelines for the SCO, features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity, and the pursuit of common development.

Zhao noted that China is willing to enhance mutual trust and strengthen cooperation under the Belt and Road initiative with various sides when the world is facing a combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and changes unseen in the past century.

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

East Asia is facing new challenges under the influence of various internal and external factors. Under these circumstances, the upcoming visit of Wang will help to carry forward the traditional friendship between China and East Asian countries, strengthening cooperation with them to build the Belt and Road initiative and promoting the construction of a community with a shared future, Zhao said.

According to Zhao, during the upcoming visit, Wang will meet with three foreign ministers, talk over bilateral ties, attend SCO activities and prepare for the annual SCO summit in Samarkand.

The 2022 annual summit of the SCO Heads of State Council will reportedly be held on September 15-16 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Iran is expected to sign its first memorandum of obligations at this year's summit and obtain full membership of the Euroasia-spanning organization by April 2023, the Iranian Embassy in China informed the Global Times. 

Zhao said at the Tuesday press conference that China welcomes more countries that agree on the Shanghai spirit and the principles of SCO to join the organization.

He made the remarks after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference on Sunday that Moscow welcomes Cairo's interest in becoming a dialogue partner in the SCO. Belarus had also officially filed a request to become a member state of the SCO earlier this month. 

Last year, the SCO summit approved Egypt's SCO dialogue partner status. China supports Egypt's active participation in cooperation under the SCO framework. As an observer state, Belarus has been actively participating in the SCO cooperation in relevant fields and has made important contributions to the healthy and stable development of the SCO, of which China speaks very highly. China and Belarus are comprehensive strategic cooperative partners. China supports Belarus' application for membership of the SCO, and is willing to actively study and make a decision together with other member states, Zhao noted. 

Global Time