SCO defense chiefs vows to maintain regional peace

Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan attends the SCO defense chiefs meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on June 26, 2013. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) defense chiefs pledged Wednesday to enhance coordination in maintaining regional peace and fighting terrorism and organized crime. (Xinhua/Guan Jianwu)

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) defense chiefs pledged Wednesday to enhance coordination in maintaining regional peace and fighting terrorism and organized crime.

The pledge came in a communique released after a one-day meeting of defense department leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan,and Uzbekistan here.

According to the communique, the SCO defense chiefs also agreed to strengthen cooperation in crushing separatism, extremism, and drug-trafficking based on their share of responsibilities.

They believed threats from terrorist activities on the basis of telecommunication and information technologies were growing, thus the members should continue to step up their defense and security cooperation within the framework of the SCO and make the region an area of lasting peace, prosperity and development.

The ministers also approved a cooperation plan for the SCO defense ministries between the year 2014 and 2015, and talked over preparations for a joint military exercise next year in China.

Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan told the meeting, since the first meeting of the SCO defense chiefs, leaders of the defense departments of the SCO members had exchanged views over major problems concerning international and regional security situations, coordinated key issues regarding enhancing defense security cooperation, and planned for future cooperation.

Chang, also a state councilor, said the meetings played a positive and important role in promoting a healthy development of the organization, friendship between members, and regional security, stability and development.

Through many years of hard work, the SCO members had seen their mutual trust in military affairs increasing, while the "three evil forces" of extremism, terrorism and separatism had been substantially curbed and regional security had been improved, Chang said.

He warned all members should have a clear understanding of the new threats and challenges confronting the region.

The Chinese general said China would as always attach great importance to the SCO defense security cooperation.

He also urged the defense ministries to carry through consensus reached by the heads of states of SCO members, and promote the build-up of defense security cooperation mechanisms.

On the sidelines of the conference, Chang also held separate meetings with the delegation chiefs of Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, in which they exchanged views on bilateral ties and other topics of common concern.