The first Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Political Parties Forum was held in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, on May 26.

 

Themed "Pooling Wisdom of Political Parties, Promoting the Shanghai Spirit and Building a Global Community with a Shared Future," the forum was hosted by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

 

Nearly 200 delegates representing over 30 parties from 18 SCO members, observers and dialogue partners attended the forum to exchange views and experiences at the conference.

 

"Being forerunners and guides of national development, political parties play a leading role in building a global community with a shared future and jointly making the world a better place," said Song Tao, minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, during his keynote speech at the opening ceremony, adding that, "enhancing exchanges between SCO political parties will definitely promote its further development."

 

Song noted that the CPC is willing to take the opportunity of the forum to advance the building of a SCO community with a shared future featuring equality, mutual support and solidarity together with other SCO members.

 

As a regional organization with member states accounting for approximately half of the world's population, the SCO has become a model for peaceful development and cultural exchange, said Sergey Zheleznyak, deputy secretary of the General Council of the United Russia Party, at the forum.

 

After discussions, consensuses were reached on carrying on the Shanghai Spirit, endeavoring to build a SCO community with a shared future, enhancing coordination of action plans and promoting the institutionalization of the forum, said Guo Yezhou, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, at a news briefing held after the forum.

 

The forum has helped to create a positive and friendly atmosphere for the upcoming SCO summit, which will be held in Qingdao, Shandong Province, next month, he added.