SCO summit highlights joint efforts to tackle financial crisis

YEKATERINBURG, Russia, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) attended the annual summit to discuss the future development of the organization and measures against the global financial crisis, underlining their joint efforts to overcome difficulties.

The two-day summit reached broad consensus on deepening pragmatic cooperation in trade, economy and security, and expanding the group's exchanges with the rest of the world.

It sent a strong signal to the international community that SCO member states will work together in the face of the current challenges.

The economic crisis is continuing to spread its negative impacts around the globe. The international community has agreed that all countries should join hands to meet the challenges.

The current circumstances require SCO members to strengthen their cooperation to jointly combat the financial crisis and advance the sound and steady development of their economies.

At the summit, SCO leaders issued a joint declaration and signed several documents, which all showcased their willingness to boost pragmatic cooperation and work together to tackle the crisis.

The SCO has played an increasingly significant role in regional affairs since it was founded in 2001. In the past eight years, the group has promoted its international clout, promoted stable and sound development of its strategic coordination, and laid a solid foundation for mutual trust.

The group can boast of political mutual trust, effective cooperation, and commitment to the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit. Such strengths have paved the way for its member states to enhance cooperation and jointly deal with the economic crisis and other challenges.