The prime ministers of China, Russia and four Central Asian nations on Wednesday promised closer co-operation to overcome the global financial crisis. The six nations had "reached important consensus in deepening co-operation and jointly tackling the economic downturn" within the framework of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO), Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said after a summit of the regional security bloc.
In a joint statement issued by China's Foreign Affairs Ministry, the six nations agreed to make greater efforts to facilitate regional trade. They promised to support co-operation in agriculture, science and technology, and to implement a series of common programmes "so as to improve the ability to deal with global challenges." The six premiers agreed to expand co-operation in fields including trade, energy, transportation, communications, health care and environmental protection, the ministry quoted Wen as saying.
"I believe that as long as all (SCO) member nations work hand in hand, and persistently deepen co-operation, we will produce a bright future of long-term peace, stability and common prosperity in this region," he said. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan attended the summit at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.
The ministry said earlier that the six premiers would also discuss Afghanistan and "further strengthen the determination to jointly fight against terrorism." Putin later met Chinese President Hu Jintao, who was quoted by state television as saying bilateral ties were making a "new historical start with a prosperous future." China and Russia supported each other on their main national interests and maintained "sound co-operation" in international forums such as the United Nations and the SCO, Hu said. He said China wanted to expand political, economic, security and high-technology co-operation with Russia.
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