SCO prime ministers start talks in central China

ZHENGZHOU - Prime Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states started talks on Tuesday in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province.

Welcoming foreign leaders to the meeting, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said that since it was established in 2001, the SCO had become an important force promoting regional stability, prosperity and development.

He said he believed every SCO meeting will contribute to cooperation between member countries as well as regional development.

During the meeting, heads of government from the SCO members China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will discuss cooperation in trade, investment, finance, transportation, security and culture.

The SCO currently has six member states -- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as observers, and Belarus, Turkey and Sri Lanka as dialogue partners.