China hosts SCO Media and Think Tank Summit

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Media and Think Tank Summit has today kicked off in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province of China.

Co-hosted by Xinhua, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and the Henan provincial government, under the guidance of China's State Council Information Office, the event brings together over 400 representatives from media outlets and international and regional organisations from SCO member states and dialogue partners.

Azerbaijan is represented at the event by representatives of the Azerbaijan State News Agency (1news.media), the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), and the Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC).

Opening remarks were delivered by Mo Gaoyi, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and minister of the State Council Information Office of China, Fu Hua, President of Xinhua News Agency, Peng Jinhui, and Vice President of the Chinese Academy for Social Sciences. The speakers highlighted the importance of the Summit in terms of discussing issues on sustainable development and mutually beneficial cooperation in today’s changing world.

Following the speeches, the key outcome document of SCO Media and Think Tank Summit “Zhengzhou Consensus” focusing areas to uphold “Shanghai Spirit” for peaceful and prosperous world was announced.

The Summit, which will run until July 27, underlines the importance of media and intelligentsia in promoting people-to-people contacts and cross-national harmony across SCO’s member states in order to achieve “Shanghai Spirit”.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai in 2001 by six countries-China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The main objectives of the SCO are to strengthen relations among member states; promote cooperation in political affairs, economics and trade, scientific-technical, cultural, and educational spheres as well as in energy, transportation, tourism, and environmental protection; safeguard regional peace, security, and stability; and create a democratic, equitable international political and economic order.

Azerbaijan was granted the status of a dialogue partner at the Ufa summit in 2015. According to the Memorandum signed in 2016 in Beijing, Azerbaijan and the SCO agreed to cooperate in the various areas of mutual interest such as strengthening regional security and stability; fighting against terrorism, extremism and separatism and etc.

President Ilham Aliyev participated in the SCO’s Summits held in Samarkand in 2022, and in Astana in 2024. During the meeting held within the framework of the Astana Summit, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping invited President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to attend the SCO Summit set to be held in China in 2025.