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China and Russia have fat-tracked their cooperation and alliance in recent years. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will meet on the sidelines of the SCO Meeting in Sochi November 30, 2017 [Xinhua]
The SCO was founded in 2001, built on the foundations of a former organization – the Shanghai Five – and currently includes China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikstan and Uzbekistan.
India and Pakistan, formerly only observers in the SCO, joined as full members in June 2017.
Indian Foreign (External Affairs) Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived in Sochi on Wednesday night, and is likely to press Delhi’s calls for tighter cooperation among members to combat transnational terrorism.
Last week, India marked the ninth anniversary of the Mumbai terrorist attacks which left 170 people dead.
Meanwhile, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Moscow on Wednesday and also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin before heading to Sochi.
Li told reporters that both China and Russia will play a constructive role to “strengthen communication and coordination on international affairs, and cement cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the SCO”.
China-Russia cooperation has great potential and broad prospects, added Li.
Putin said he hopes that China and Russia can increase their win-win cooperation.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will lead Russia’s delegation at the Sochi SCO meetings.
Meanwhile, the SCO Council – which has increasing embraced strategic economic cooperation in addition to security – is likely to consider new membership applications.
Iran, which maintains strong ties with founders China and Russia, is close to achieving full membership
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
