Aerial photo taken on May 4, 2018 shows a night view of the Fushan Bay in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)
This year's Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit will take place in China’s eastern port city of Qingdao from June 9-10. What issues top this year's agenda, and what can we expect from this meeting?
Chinese President Xi Jinping will open the summit with a keynote speech. Guests will also attend a welcoming banquet and enjoy a fireworks display on Saturday night.
The SCO expanded last year, from six permanent members to eight, with India and Pakistan now on board.
A new outlook is expected to be formed, as the leaders will brainstorm new measures to improve security cooperation. They will also map out a new strategy to boost regional cooperation.
"Drug trafficking and cyber-crimes are the priorities for cooperation,” said Wang Yi, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister. “During the summit, the leaders will look into the international and regional security situation, and explore ways to broaden security cooperation.”
When the summit concludes on Sunday, the leaders are expected to release what’s called the “Qingdao Declaration,” essentially a summary of the advancements made by the bloc.
