India, Pak to bolster SCO might: Xi Jinping

Qingdao: The entry of India and Pakistan into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation would bolster its strength, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday as he welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain to the eight-member grouping.

Prime Minister Modi and Pakistan President Hussain  attended the summit for the first time after both countries were were admitted as members of the Beijing-based Shanghai Cooperation Organisation last year.

Mr Xi, also host of the 18th SCO summit, in his opening remarks said that the presence of Prime Minister Modi and Pakistan President Hussain at the meeting  in SCO was “of great historic significance.”

“The SCO enjoys strong vitality and momentum of cooperation,” Mr Xi said, attributing the organisation’s standing to the Shanghai Spirit. He called for the pursuit of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

“We should reject the Cold War mentality and confrontation between blocs and oppose the practices of seeking absolute security of oneself at the expense of the security of other countries, so as to achieve security of all,” he said.

He said countries should work for inclusive cooperation for win-win outcomes.

“We should reject self-centered, short-sighted and closed-door policies. We should uphold WTO rules and support the multilateral trading system so as to build an open world economy,” Mr Xi said amidst a looming trade war between China and the United States.

Later, addressing a press conference, Mr Xi said the SCO  members will uphold the authority and efficacy of WTO rules, strengthen an open, inclusive, transparent, non-discriminatory and rules-based multilateral trading regime, and oppose trade protectionism of any form.