BEIJING, Jan 14 (APP):A blue book, has been launched to outline the past achievements of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries, analyze its future challenges and prospects, and put forward several suggestions. The book titled, Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Looking Back and Looking Forward, has been
released in the Chinese capital.
"Security cooperation has been the priority and also the driving force of the SCO since it was first
initiated," said Li Ziguo, a researcher on the SCO with the China Institute of International Studies and
one of the main contributors to the blue book, told Beijing Review on Monday.
"The SCO achieved remarkable results in safeguarding regional stability and peace in past years."
For example, SCO countries conducted close cooperation in anti-terrorism. Through joint law enforcement
and information exchange, they successfully thwarted more than 600 terrorist attacks, destroyed six extremist
groups and killed over 400 terrorists, according to the blue book.
"Under the framework of the SCO, member countries also held various cultural exchange activities, such
as culture and arts festival and women's forums, among others," Li said.
The bilateral tourism cooperation has been surging, especially between China and Russia. China is the
largest source of tourism for Russia among all countries outside of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Moreover, Russia is the third largest tourist country to China.
Along with cooperation in security and cultural areas, the huge potential still remains untapped in economic
and trade cooperation among SCO countries, Han Lu, an associate researcher on SCO economic study, said.
"Indian and Pakistani accession injected fresh impetus to the SCO. In the future, the SCO should continue
to advance regional trade facilitation and strengthen support for small and medium enterprises."
