Defense ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a five-year-old six-member regional organization, gathered in Beijing on Wednesday for regional security talks.

Hosted by Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, the meeting is expected to discuss regional security issues, including the fight against the "three forces" of separatism, terrorism and extremism, and other issues of common concern.

The five visiting defense ministers were Kyrgyzstan's Ismail Isakov, Russia's Sergei Ivanov, Tajikistan's Sherali Khairullaev and Uzbekistan's Ruslan Mirzayevare and Kazakhstan's B. Darbekov.

A string of one-on-one meetings between defense ministers are also scheduled to be held.

Founded in 2001, the SCO is the only international organization named after a Chinese city.