SCO summit: Xi calls for efforts to ‘safeguard regional peace’, ensure ‘common security’

New Delhi: President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for efforts to “safeguard regional peace” and ensure “common security” in a speech delivered via video link at the 23rd virtual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) hosted by India and attended by Russia and Pakistan among other member countries.

In remarks released by the official Chinese news agency, Xinhua, Xi said it is the alliance’s common responsibility to “…achieve long-term peace and stability in the region”.

“China is willing to work with all parties to implement global security initiatives, insist on resolving differences and conflicts,” he said.

The Chinese leader went out to say that conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and consultation.

Without directly referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the SCO, he said, should “…promote political settlement of international and regional hotspot issues, and build a solid barrier for regional security”.

Xi called for “opposing hegemonism and power politics” without naming the US-led Western powers.

Without naming any country involved, the Chinese leader criticised “unilateral sanctions”, adding that China opposes the “generalisation of the concept of national security”, “building walls and barriers” and “decoupling and breaking chains”.

“Make the pie of cooperation bigger, so that the fruits of development can benefit people of all countries more and more equitably,” Xi said, according to Xinhua.

Xi pitched for his signature “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) in his speech, saying the infrastructure project would facilitate regional cooperation and trade and investment.

Xi, according to Xinhua, called for “efforts to better synergise high-quality cooperation under the BRI with various countries’ development strategies and regional cooperation initiatives”.

The BRI, he said, would accelerate “the construction of port infrastructure and regional (and) international logistics channels”.

India, which became an SCO member in 2017 along with Pakistan, has refused to join the BRI over “sovereignty concerns” because one of its flagship projects, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), passes through PoK.

Since its founding in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO has expanded from a regional organisation with six members into one with eight full members, four observer countries, and 14 dialogue partners.

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