Xi Jinping to attend SCO's virtual summit hosted by India
2 min read 30 Jun 2023, 11:33 AM ISTChinese President Xi Jinping will attend the virtual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) hosted by India next week on July 4.
PremiumChinese President, Xi Jinping, will attend the virtual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), being hosted by India, next week, Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced, "At the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend via video conference in Beijing the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and deliver important remarks on July 4,"
According to the statement issued by the SCO, the virtual SCO Council of Heads of State is slated to be held on July 4, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi serving as the chair.
"The theme of the Summit is 'Towards a SECURE SCO'. The SECURE acronym was coined by the Prime Minister at the 2018 SCO Summit and stands for Security; Economy and Trade; Connectivity; Unity; Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity; and Environment. These themes have been highlighted during our Chairmanship of SCO," the statement read.
In adherence to SCO protocol, Turkmenistan has been invited as the guest of the Chair. Additionally, the heads of the two SCO Bodies, namely the Secretariat and the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), will be in attendance. Furthermore, leaders from six international and regional organizations, including the United Nations (UN), ASEAN, CIS, CSTO, EAEU, and CICA, have also been invited to the summit.
"India has set up new pillars of cooperation under its Chairmanship - Startups and Innovation; Traditional Medicine; Digital Inclusion; Youth Empowerment; and Shared Buddhist Heritage. In addition, India has worked towards fostering greater people-to-people ties that celebrate the historical and civilizational bonds between our nations. These include the various socio-cultural events hosted by Varanasi under the framework of the first-ever SCO Cultural and Tourist Capital for 2022-23," the statement added.
India's Chairmanship of SCO has been a period of intense activity and mutually beneficial cooperation between Member States. India has hosted a total of 134 meetings and events, including 14 Ministerial-level meetings.
India remains committed to playing a positive and constructive role in the organization and looks forward to a successful SCO Summit as the culmination of its Chairmanship.
India currently holds the rotational presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) until September 2023. This presidency, assumed by India in 2022, signifies a noteworthy moment in the country's commitment to regional collaboration and its pursuit of fostering a cohesive neighbourhood.
(With inputs from ANI)
