China on Monday claimed that the allegations against the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) functioning as an anti-western bloc were groundless.
Fan Xianrong, an ambassador responsible for the work of China鈥檚 SCO national coordinator, made the remarks while responding to a journalist鈥檚 question over the allegations against SCO functioning as an 鈥榓nti-Western鈥� block and the United States of America at a press conference held at the Beijing International Club in the afternoon.
鈥楾he allegation that the SCO is 鈥渁nti-Western鈥� is groundless. Persisting in such claims amounts to nothing more than a deliberate smear campaign,鈥� Fan, also a senior Chinese diplomat, said while sharing the outcome of the two-day SCO Summit 2025 held in Tianjin in China from August 31 to September 1.
He said that the SCO principles align with the United Nations charter and promote inclusive multilateralism rather than confrontation.
Mentioning the SCO charter, Fan said that the organisation was not directed against any third-party country or international organisation.
He said that SCO sought to promote mutual benefits and shared success for contributing to a multipolar world order resilient to external shocks and foster greater global solidarity and cooperation amid mounting geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty.
Fan said that they would welcome any country from across the globe that is interested in becoming a member of the SCO.
SCO was founded on June 15, 2001, with six founding members, including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Since 2017, India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus have successively joined as member states. The SCO has two observer states, Afghanistan and Mongolia, as well as 15 dialogue partners: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, the Maldives, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Laos.
Fan said that 27 countries of the SCO family represented nearly half of the world鈥檚 population and one-fourth of the global GDP.聽
Speaking about the Tianjin declaration and a development strategy for the SCO during the period of 2026-2035 adopted in the recent summit, he said that it reaffirmed SCO countries鈥� commitment to the Shanghai Spirit, which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilisations and pursuit of common development.
He praised the Chinese president Xi Jinping's proposal of the Global Governance Initiative in the SCO plus meeting as a timely one.
He also said that China would work with the UN and all parties to enhance communication and coordination for the implementation of the GGI.
