With India and Pakistan expected to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) tomorrow, China today said it is a "major step forward" for both the South Asian countries to gain entry into the group and contribute to the region's prosperity and stability.
"This is a major step forward for India and Pakistan to obtain official SCO membership," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying said.
"China supports India and Pakistan's accession to the SCO, and hopes that the entry of new members will contribute to the development of the SCO and regional prosperity and stability," she told PTI ahead of the SCO summit in the Uzbekistan capital Tashkent tomorrow. Chinese President Xi Jinping who already arrived in Tashkent said the summit marks a new beginning for the group.
"China sees the 16th SCO Summit as a new starting point to enhance cooperation among members," Xi said as the six member group founded in 2001 is set to expand for the first time amid mixed feelings of optimism and skepticism about what impact India-Pakistan entry will have on the group considering their bitter rivalry.
SCO focussing mostly security related issues like terrorism in Central Asia is comprised of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as full members.
Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan has observer status.
last year's Ufa summit has formally adopted a resolution which started the procedures to admit India and Pakistan into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation..
It is not yet clear when the process for India and Pakistan admission into the group will be completed. Both the countries have been asked to endorse all the documents of SCO since its founding in 2001.