30 May 2003 14:24
Chinese president speaks at Shanghai Cooperation Summit - text
China stands for building a new international order that is "just and rational", the Chinese president has
said. In a speech to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Moscow, he laid out some principles China stood for:
democratization of international relations, security through non-military means and dialogue, and the authority of the
UN. On practical matters facing the SCO, he said establishing SCO mechanisms is the top priority facing the
organization. He suggested starting cooperation with transportation, by signing a multilateral highway agreement. He
also advocated placing the antinarcotics issue on the agenda of security cooperation to cut off financial supply to the
"three forces" of terrorism, national separatism, and religious radicalism. Following is the "full
text" of Hu's speech carried by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency)
Moscow, 29 May: At the third meeting of heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization [SCO] member
countries taking place in Moscow today, Chinese President Hu Jintao gave an important speech entitled, "Carry on
the Unfinished Task and Strive To Create a New Situation for the SCO Cause." The full text of the speech
follows:
Carry on the Unfinished Task and Strive To Create a New Situation for the SCO Cause - Speech at the Meeting of Heads
of State of SCO Members in Moscow
(29 May 2003)
Hu Jintao, president of the People's Republic of China
Respected President Putin,
Respected President Nazarbayev,
Respected colleagues:
Two years ago, President Jiang Zemin and you founded the SCO. The founding of SCO was an important event in the
development of international relations in the early 21st century, and it was also an important change with far-reaching
significance taking place in the geopolitical pattern in the Eurasian Continent after the Cold War. This event initiated
and put into practice a new concept of security and a new concept of state relations. It was dedicated to exploring and
developing a new mode of regional dialogue and cooperation, and to promoting regional and world peace and development;
and it made significant contributions to promoting multipolarization of the world and to establishing a new
international political and economic order that is just and rational. Since its birth two years ago, SCO has gone
through an extraordinary course. It has withstood the tests of international storms. This organization, under the
guidance of the spirit of the Shanghai summit and the St Petersburg summit, has made gratifying progress in perfecting
its mechanisms, promoting cooperation in various fields, and developing foreign contacts; and so it has evoked
widespread attention in the international community.
SCO's achievements show that its basic objectives and its principles for development are very correct, and that
they are what we must continue to safeguard and follow in the future. These objectives and principles are:
- Firmly upholding the "Shanghai Spirit" characterized by "mutual trust, reciprocity, equality,
cooperation, respect for diverse cultures, and quest for common development."
- Firmly upholding the development concept of gradually proceeding with full cooperation in all fields around the key
issue, namely security and economic cooperation.
- Firmly upholding the external principle of nonalignment, not targeting at any country and organization, broad
exchange, and broad cooperation.
- Firmly upholding the organizational principles for efficiency, practicality, sure-footedness, and innovation.
Fellow colleagues, as this meeting will soon ratify a string of important documents about SOC organization, SOC will
also enter into a new period of all-round and steady development from its initial founding stage. While starting a new
undertaking requires hard work, developing it is even harder. China would like to work with all sides in carrying on the
unfinished task and pressing forward to create a new situation for SCO construction and development.
Accelerating the process of establishing SCO mechanisms is the top priority facing SCO. As result of the efforts
exerted by all sides, this organization has made significant headway in preparing the establishment of its secretariat
and regional antiterrorist organizations. We must continue to work hard to make sure that the secretariat will
officially start operations this year, and that the regional antiterrorist organizations will be established as early as
possible. To show our attention to the SCO, the Chinese Government, the host of forming the secretariat, has decided to
provide it with gratis offices. In the future, we will continue to give the secretariat our energetic support so that it
can proceed with its operations normally.
Deepening and developing security cooperation has always been an SCO priority. With respect to the "three
forces" [terrorism, national separatism, and religious radicalism] which are seriously endangering the interests of
the member countries in this part of the world, we must never lower our guard, let alone appeasing [Chinese: gu xi] or
accommodating them. Rather, we must make protracted, unremitting efforts to uproot these evil forces in order to
safeguard peace and stability in this part of the world. To cut the financial sources for activities of these
"three forces", and rebuff them more roundly and efficiently, we must act as quickly as possible to place the
antinarcotics issue on the agenda of security cooperation.
Economic cooperation is SCO's important foundation and priority. We must make constant efforts to promote this
project with clear and firm political readiness, practical policies and ideas, and perseverance and earnestness.
Considering the actual needs of this part of the world, we suggest that we should begin in the sphere of communications
and transportation and sign a multilateral highway transportation agreement and earnestly and efficiently implement it.
I hope when the prime ministers of the six countries meet for the second time during the second half of the year, they
can make a new breakthrough in promoting regional economic cooperation.
Developing international exchanges is the way SCO must follow in getting involved in international affairs. This
year, SCO has had a good start in developing international cooperation. From now on, SCO should continue to proceed with
this project actively, sure-footedly, and pragmatically and create for itself an international image as a friendly,
cooperative and open organization.
Fellow colleagues, this meeting is being held at an important historical juncture. The Iraq War has basically ended;
but the deep thoughts it has triggered on the world situation have just begun. Today when history has just stepped into
the 21st century, how should we build a new international order that is in line with the interests and aspirations of
the people of all countries? How are we going to safeguard the world's lasting peace and security? Each and every
responsible statesman with foresight should strive to find solutions to these questions.
China is for democratization of international relations. We hold that all countries should get involved in
international affairs on an equal footing, and that international issues of common concern should be settled through
consultations.
China is for creating a new concept of security. We hold we should ensure security through establishing mutual trust
and promote cooperation through dialogue. Military means may win short-termed victory, but it will not bring us lasting
security.
China maintains that the universally acknowledged international laws and basic norms governing international
relations must be respected, that the objectives and principles of the "Charter of the United Nations" must be
firmly safeguarded, and that the authority of the United Nations and the leading role it plays in handling important
international issues must be safeguarded.
China stands for preserving the diversity of human civilizations. We must respect the world's different
civilizations and different social systems and paths of development. We should learn from each other's strengths to
make up each other's shortcomings during the course of competition and comparison, and we should seek common
development during the course of seeking common ground while reserving differences.
China maintains that all countries should develop mutually beneficially cooperation so that we can narrow the
difference between the south and the north, address the extreme disparity between the rich and the poor, and promote
common global development.
In short, China stands for building a new international political and economic order that is just and rational.
This international order must be based on the premise of mutual security, it should be based on even development, and
it should be protected by the universally acknowledged laws; the measures employed should be dialogue and cooperation,
and the goal should be common prosperity.
Fellow colleagues, China's new central leading collective will maintain the continuity and stability of the
country's internal and external policies, and it will steadfastly uphold the country's independent foreign
policy of peace. China will uphold the policy of befriending its neighbours and regarding them as partners. The
important cornerstone of China's external policy is to strengthen good-neighbourly and friendly relations with its
surrounding countries and promoting regional cooperation. SCO is the crystallization of the development of China's
good-neighbourly and friendly relations with Russia and Central Asian countries. As always, China will continue to
attach great importance to this organization's projects, actively participate in them, and make all-out efforts to
promote them. I myself would also like to work hard with you in writing a new chapter for the SCO development.
Thank you all!
[Xinhua news agency domestic service] |
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