Weathering a decade of trials and tests, the SCO has established itself as an important pillar of regional security and stability, providing strong support for the peaceful development of the region. Its extraordinary journey over the past decade provides us with much food for thought.

The SCO embodies a spirit, that is the "Shanghai Spirit" whose essence is mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and seeking common development. It reflects the member states' fresh perspectives on security, development, cooperation and civilization. An inspiration to the world, it is a major contribution to efforts to foster a new type of state-to-state relations and build a harmonious region.

The SCO represents a banner that guides the countries in the region toward cooperation, peace and development. The idea of "enduring friendship and lasting peace" has been written into the SCO's legal documents, and seeking consensus has been recognized by the member states as an important guideline in promoting the development of the SCO and handling their mutual relations. This marks a new chapter in the relations among the member states and has greatly enhanced their mutual political trust. The new type of cooperative relations advocated by the SCO conforms to the trend of peace, development and cooperation in the world today and meets the shared interests of SCO member states and other countries in the region.

The SCO constitutes a positive force for democracy in international relations. The SCO follows the principle of non-alliance, non-confrontation, not targeting other countries and organizations, and openness. It is willing to carry out cooperation with other countries and international organizations.

At this new historical starting point, the SCO faces both opportunities and challenges, and a more arduous mission and further tasks lie ahead. At the Astana Summit, SCO heads of state will take stock of the SCO's valuable experience in the past decade and, on this basis, set out strategic plans and arrangements for the decade to come.

In the next decade, the SCO will remain true to the fundamental principle of good-neighborliness, and strengthen mutual trust and support for one another on issues concerning their core interests. It will step up efforts to combat the "three forces", as well as drug trafficking and transnational crime, and build up its capacity to tackle immediate security threats. It will fully implement the Program of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation, promote intra-regional connectivity of transportation, energy and telecommunications infrastructure, and advance free trade arrangements to lend greater impetus to economic development of the member states. It will consolidate the foundation of people-to-people exchanges and enhance collaboration in education, culture, health, disaster relief and other areas to bring extensive benefits to the people of the member states. It will pursue external cooperation in an incremental manner and build a broad-based network of partners in which all will work together for regional stability and prosperity. It will be actively and constructively engaged in international and regional affairs, work for a more just and reasonable international order, and safeguard the common interests of the member states.

We have every reason to believe that, with the commitment and contribution of all sides, the SCO commemorative summit will be crowned with success. The significant decisions to be taken by the heads of state at the summit will enable the SCO, as a new type of regional cooperation organization, to move ahead with greater unity, fulfill its responsibilities more efficiently, and make new contributions to the win-win cooperation and common development of its member states and the peace and stability of the region.

The author is China's minister of foreign affairs.

(China Daily 06/15/2011 page8)