A: Over the past 25 years, China has consistently upheld the “Shanghai Spirit” and worked hand in hand with other SCO member states to pursue joint development and shared dividends, achieving fruitful results in regional economic cooperation. First, trade exchanges have improved the quality of life of our people. China’s trade with other member states grew from USD 12.1 billion in 2001 to USD 523.5 billion in 2025, accounting for 8% of China’s total foreign trade. Exports of the “new trio”, namely, electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and PV products, and cross-border e-commerce to other member states have grown rapidly. Natural gas from Russia and Central Asian countries has been delivered to hundreds of millions of Chinese households through pipeline networks, playing an important role in ensuring people’s livelihoods and promoting a green lifestyle. A wide variety of agricultural products from various countries have found their way to Chinese dining tables, while China-made products such as automobiles, home appliances and smartphones have entered the households of other member states. Second, investment and financing have contributed to the well-being of the people. China’s investment in other member states has continued to expand, with direct investment across all sectors reaching USD 3.3 billion in 2025, covering areas such as oil and gas, minerals, infrastructure, new energy, automobiles, and chemicals. China has also invested in the construction of over 30 economic and trade cooperation zones, supporting other countries in enhancing their industrial development capacity and boosting local employment and economic growth. Third, connectivity has built bridges for cooperation. Cross-border roads, railways and pipelines between China and other member states have been steadily improved. Major projects such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway are advancing steadily, which will open up diversified transport routes for countries along the lines and drive the development of related industries. The China-Europe Railway Express has been running smoothly and steadily, with 13,000 trips made in the first seven months of 2026, up by 17.6% year-on-year, playing an important role in the security and stability of regional supply chains.

China will continue to earnestly implement the important initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping and steadily carry out the action plan for high-quality development of economic and trade cooperation among SCO member states, observer states and dialogue partners, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, develop trade in services and digital trade, deepen industrial and supply chain cooperation, and take regional economic cooperation to a new level.