President Xi Jinping addresses the 20th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization via video link from Beijing on Nov 10, 2020. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING - China is willing to actively consider the COVID-19 vaccine needs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries, said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday.

Xi made the remarks in Beijing while attending the 20th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO via video link.

President Xi Jinping also proposed setting up hotlines among the centers for disease control and prevention of the SCO members

Xi called on the countries to strengthen joint efforts in prevention and control of COVID-19, support each other, and deepen communication and cooperation in epidemic monitoring, scientific research as well as the prevention and treatment of the disease.

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He also proposed setting up hotlines among the centers for disease control and prevention of the SCO members.

Xi called for real actions to practice multilateralism, improve global governance and safeguard international order.

Highlighting the principle of consultation and collaboration for shared benefits, he also called for addressing global issues through consultation, building the governance system with joint efforts and enabling people from all countries to share the benefits of development.

Multilateralism over unilateralism

Xi said history has proven and will continue to prove that multilateralism will win over unilateralism. 

Humanity lives in a global village where the interests and destinies of all countries are intertwined, Xi said.

Noting that people across the world have a stronger yearning for a better life, Xi said the trend toward peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit is unstoppable.

Good neighborliness and friendship will prevail over a beggar-thy-neighbor approach, mutually beneficial cooperation is certain to replace zero-sum game, and multilateralism will win over unilateralism, Xi added.

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Xi called on the SCO to make more explorations to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

In current circumstances, the SCO should carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, deepen solidarity and collaboration, and contribute more to the stability and development of countries in the region, said Xi.

Opposing interference

Each civilization is distinctive, and no one is superior to others, Xi said as he voiced firm opposition to interference by external forces in the domestic affairs of SCO member states.

He stressed the need to firmly support relevant countries in steadily advancing major domestic political agendas according to law and safeguarding political security and social stability. 

Xi also said China cannot develop without the rest of the world, nor can the world as a whole prosper without China.

China is speeding up efforts to foster a new development pattern with domestic circulation as the mainstay while allowing domestic and international circulations to reinforce each other, and is building an open economy of higher standards, he said.
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China will remain firmly committed to a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, draw development impetus from the rest of the world, and deliver more benefits to the world with the country's development, Xi said, adding all parties are welcome to seize the opportunities brought by China's development and make active endeavors to deepen cooperation with China.