Chinese President Xi Jinping Urges SCO Members To Reject Foreign Interference

Chinese President Xi Jinping with Foreign Minister Wang Yi while attending a SCO meeting in Astana. (Source: Sergei Savostyanov / TASS via Kremlin)

JAKARTA - Chinese President Xi Jinping urged member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to refuse outside interference and firmly support each other.

This was conveyed by President Xi while attending the 24th Meeting of the SCO State Head Council in Astana, Kazakhstan on Thursday.

President Xi called on SCO member states to "strengthen the strength of unity" in the face of "real challenges in the form of interference and division."

"We must work together to reject external interference and steadfastly uphold our own future and destiny, as well as regional peace and development, in our own hands," President Xi said.

"In facing the real risk of a small yard with a high fence, we must protect the right to develop," President Xi continued, quoted by Reuters.

He said the block must deal with "internal differences" with peace, find common ground and resolve cooperation difficulties.

Including Belarus, which officially joined on Thursday, SCO has 10 members including China, India, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

On this occasion, the Bamboo Curtain Country Leader also emphasized the need to jointly promote scientific and technological innovation, as well as maintain the stability and smooth running of industrial and supply chains.

In addition, President Xi also warned against what he called a "real threat to the Cold War mentality" and called on member states to "enforce our security basis."

He also urged countries to protect rights to development in the face of a "real risk from small yards with high fences," referring to the strategy adopted by the US to limit key technologies from China.

SCO was founded by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to fight terrorism and increase border security in 2001.