China issues first evaluation report on SCO

According to Xinhua, this report was initially released on a sideline event of the ongoing 2011 Euro-Asia Economic Forum in Xi'an, capital city of northwestern Shaanxi Province.

As the co-work by a group of experts from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences(CASS) and some other major institutions related to SCO studies in China, the report is expected to provide necessary reference to relevant governmental departments in their work related to the SCO, and to provide convenient information about SCO for the public both in and out of China, said Zhang Deguang, secretary-general of the forum.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the SCO. The report focuses on the systemic review and assessment of the 10 years' development of cooperation in the SCO in the fields of security, military, regional economic cooperation, energy, culture and education, said Wang Tao, deputy director of the office of Euro-Asia Forum Executive Committee.

It consists of discussions on the regional situation and major issues influencing the development of the SCO, such as its strategic orientation, the influence of the situation of Kyrgyzstan, the Afghanistan issue, the Iran issue, and the issue of membership expansion, Lin Guijun, vice president of the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), said at the meeting.

Despite the continuous changes in the international political and economic situation over the past 10 years, the SCO, with all member states held together in tackling various difficulties and challenges, has played a significant role in maintaining regional security and stability, promoting regional economic cooperation and economic growth, enriching cultural exchanges and enhancing mutual trust and understanding, said Wu Hongwei, a researcher with the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of CASS.

For full version go to http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-09/24/c_131157976.htm