Li vows to enhance ties with SCO partners

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged on Thursday to carry out security, economic and cultural exchanges agreed at the Shanghai Cooperation Origination summit in Bishkek in September.  [Special coverage]

The premier made the remarks during a meeting with Uzbek Islam Karimov upon his arrival in the country's capital of Tashkent.

Li is scheduled to attend the Prime Ministers' meeting of the SCO on Friday, his first since becoming the Chinese Premier in March, and to elaborate China's policy.

Leaders of the SCO countries of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan signed and published the Bishkek Declaration in September, which says the international relations are undergoing profound changes with factors of instability and uncertainty remarkably increasing.

The declaration calls for enhanced cooperation in regional security as well as economic development, which serves as the basis of social stability.

During the meeting with Karimov, Li praised Uzbekistan as China's "reliable friend and partner in Central Asia", and Sino-Uzbekistan relationship can move forward based on mutual political trust.

"Our cooperation is equal, without any conditional terms, and aims to achieve a win-win situation," he said, noting the two countries can complement each other in many aspects, especially in energy resources.

He also said China is willing to upgrade its strategic partnership with Uzbekistan and expand bilateral cooperation from the current energy sector to include more fields.

The SCO, an inter-governmental organization founded in Shanghai in 2001, has become an effective mechanism and reliable shield to protect local security and promote joint development.

Li flew to Uzbekistan after concluding a four-day visit to Romania, where he met with government leaders from Central and Eastern Europe.