Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Shanghai Cooperation Organization Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev on Monday during a reception in Beijing to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of the SCO. WANG ZHUANGFEI/CHINA DAILY

Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to play a greater role as a stabilizing, constructive and progressive force in today's world.

Speaking at a reception in Beijing to mark the 25th anniversary of the SCO's founding, Wang said that the organization should set an example in promoting peace, development and win-win cooperation.

Founded in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO has expanded from six founding members into a 10-member organization with two observer states and 15 dialogue partners. It has become the world's largest comprehensive regional cooperation organization in terms of geographic coverage and population.

Over the past 25 years, the SCO has cultivated the Shanghai Spirit, which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and the pursuit of common development.

The SCO has explored a new model of regional cooperation among neighboring countries and helped to foster a new type of international relations, Wang said.

Against the backdrop of accelerating changes unseen in a century, Wang said that the SCO should practice true multilateralism, support the United Nations' role and authority, and advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world as well as a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

He called on the SCO to uphold common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, promote peace and stability in the Middle East, and support Afghanistan's reconstruction and development.

Wang also urged SCO member countries to foster new growth drivers in trade, connectivity, scientific and technological innovation, green industries and the digital economy. He called for faster preparations for a development bank, stronger industrial and supply chains, and closer people-to-people exchanges and dialogue among civilizations.

As China enters the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, Wang said the country will continue to pursue high-quality development, foster new quality productive forces and expand high-level opening-up.

Noting that SCO cooperation remains a priority in China's neighborhood diplomacy, he expressed China's readiness to share development opportunities with other member states and open up a brighter future for the region.

Speaking at the reception, SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev said that the organization's 25-year journey reflects the tireless efforts of its member states, their dedication to a common cause and their commitment to the future.

The SCO has been able to arrive at common positions on pressing contemporary issues and respond promptly to global developments despite differences among its members, he said.

It has developed 30 sectoral cooperation mechanisms and a solid legal framework, he said, emphasizing that joint efforts have contributed to economic growth, social progress and stronger security.

Yermekbayev also noted growing international interest in the organization, saying that there are now about 20 applications from countries seeking to join the SCO in one capacity or another, which demonstrates the appeal of its values and principles.

"As a member state, China demonstrates a constructive approach to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation and practical interaction within the SCO," SCO Deputy Secretary-General Ahmad Saidmurodzoda told China Daily.

He added that China's rotating presidency of the SCO has produced initiatives serving the interests of all member states and meaningful outcomes, while the SCO Tianjin Summit made historic decisions that set the course for the organization's future development.

zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn