On November 25, 2010, the ninth SCO prime ministers' meeting was held in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan. Tajik Prime Minister Akilov chaired the meeting.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao attended large-range talks and small-range talks. Addressing the meeting, Wen said since the SCO prime ministers' meeting in Beijing last year, the organization’s political, security, economic and foreign exchange functions have been improved. The SCO member states have supported each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests, offered mutual assistance in coping with major natural disasters and opposing terrorist attacks, continuously expanded pragmatic cooperation and worked more closely in major international and regional issues. These achievements have not come by easily and the SCO and its member states have withstood the severe test of the global financial crisis.
Wen pointed out that currently the world political and economic situations are undergoing profound and complex changes. He said that the SCO countries should rely on collective powers to better safeguard regional peace and stability and promote a comprehensive and balanced economic, social and cultural development. This is not only in the interests of all member states, but also helps make the SCO more united and appealing to others, he said.
The Chinese premier said that safeguarding regional security, stability and harmony is of vital importance to promoting the development of the SCO and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation among SCO members. Thus, he called on the SCO nations to strengthen strategic coordination, boost mutual trust, coordinate actions and set up, step by step, a permanent and effective mechanism of safeguarding regional security and stability. He also urged the SCO member states to take joint actions and comprehensive measures to deal persistent, heavier and more effective blows to the "three evil forces" of extremism, separatism and terrorism as well as drug trafficking and transnational organized crimes.
Wen made a six-point proposal for enhancing practical cooperation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
First, Wen proposed that the SCO countries boost the vitality of economic and trade cooperation. The SCO countries should stick to the principle of government guidance, encourage enterprises to expand cooperation according to market regulations and rely on science and technology in a bid to accelerate regional economic development, he said.
Second, Wen called for expanding energy cooperation. "We should safeguard energy transportation security, jointly develop wind energy and solar energy and enhance the effective use of energy," he said.
Third, Wen called for accelerating infrastructure construction such as highways, railways and information highways, to advance regional communication.
Fourth, the SCO member countries should strengthen agricultural cooperation, Wen said, urging them to conduct research on establishing a SCO food security cooperation mechanism. "China is willing to help other SCO member states set up high-tech agricultural demonstration areas," he said.
Fifth, Wen called for deepening financial and monetary cooperation among the SCO member states, noting that they should expand business financing channels, conduct researches on establishing a SCO development bank, discuss new ways of joint financing and joint benefiting and expand cooperation on local currency settlement to promote regional economic and trade exchanges.
Finally, the Chinese premier called for pushing forward capacity building and people-to-people and cultural exchanges. The SCO countries should further improve the contingency mechanism for handling natural disasters, public health and other emergencies at border areas, he said. "China is willing to train Chinese language and senior management staff for SCO member states, organize the first university students art festival for the SCO and conduct communication and cooperation with SCO member states in traditional medicine," Wen said.
Wen pointed out that China is formulating the Twelfth Five-year Plan on National Economic and Social Development. China will further increase policy and financial support for the development of the western region and promote its stability, which will create more favorable conditions for China to enhance exchanges and cooperation with other SCO member states. China is ready to work with other SCO members to carry on the "Shanghai spirit" in the new situation, boost confidence, forge ahead in a pioneering spirit and move towards the goal of lasting peace and common prosperity.
The SCO prime ministers made positive comments on the achievement of the SCO over the past year. They agreed to intensify the fight against the "three evil forces" to safeguard regional security and stability, enhance coordination in economic policy to promote trade investment facilitation, accelerate the implementation of economic and technological cooperation projects and deepen cooperation in disaster relief, education and culture to promote sustainable development in the region.
Leaders of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan attended the meeting. Representatives from SCO observers including India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan, and Afghanistan as a guest of the host country attended the large-range talks.
The SCO prime ministers decided to hold their next meeting in Russia. Following the meeting, the SCO prime ministers signed the joint communiqué of the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the SCO Member States and other documents and jointly met the press.