Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov (front) steps out of the plane upon his arrival at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, east China on June 14, 2006. Rakhmonov is here for the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) slated for June 15. -Xinhua

Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov arrived in Shanghai this afternoon to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) slated for Thursday.

The SCO has become an important player in regional and world politics and is influencing global peace positively, Rakhmonov said before his departure for Shanghai.

Established in June 2001, the SCO comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev wished the summit "a good work" upon his arrival at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport Tuesday evening.

Presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Uzbekistan will arrive later Wednesday afternoon.