Leaders from China, Russia and four Central Asian countries agreed yesterday to boost economic cooperation to strengthen joint efforts in the fight against terrorism.
Premier Wen Jiabao said at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, that terrorism, separatism and extremism constitute the major threat to regional peace and stability.
The Chinese premier also urged SCO member states to strengthen security cooperation at the multilateral and bilateral levels.
The urgent tasks facing the SCO are to work together to make regional anti-terrorism institutions operate effectively, further exchange information and promote coordination among law enforcement departments, Wen said.
SCO member states should gradually deepen business cooperation, build closer economic ties, create favorable conditions for partnerships and implement multilateral programs, the premier said.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said: "I believe that our organization can and has to be active in the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism which are becoming more alike."
"The stronger economically we are together, the more effective our anti-terrorist unity will be," he said.
The SCO was formed in 1996 to fight terrorism and Islamic extremism, which have threatened regional stability. The organization also wants stronger economic cooperation between its members.
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Nikolai Tanayev said members can work well together.
"Our organization has enough potential for providing stability and security in the region, and for strengthening and enhancing cooperation in trade, economy and investment," Tanayev said.
The prime ministers of China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan along with the deputy prime ministers of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan approved bilateral trade and economic cooperation among SCO members.
Fradkov called on his counterparts to harmonize tax laws to create a "favorable business climate" and suggested the organization work out a concept for unified gas, oil and energy transport.
Wen and Tanayev said their countries would start next week construction of an oil pipeline from oil-rich Kazakhstan to China, whose rapid economic growth has increased demand for energy.
After the SCO summit, Wen arrived in Moscow yesterday for talks with top officials on Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organization and China's efforts to secure a steady supply of Russian oil.
Wen was also expected to discuss anti-terrorism cooperation and other issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
China's energy demands are soaring. Oil imports from Russia jumped 73 percent last year to 5.25 million metric tons.
In comments to Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency, Wen said it could increase Russian oil imports to 15 million tons by 2006.
The two countries have been discussing a planned oil pipeline for more than a decade. Wen said such a pipeline would guarantee Russia a steady export market for its oil, ITAR-Tass said yesterday.
Talks on Russia's efforts to join the World Trade Organization also are on the table.
Russia applied to join the WTO in 1993, but only started serious efforts to fulfill membership conditions when Putin came to power in 1999.
In July, the two countries agreed to complete discussions on Russia's bid to join the WTO this year.
Each of the WTO's 147 existing members has the right to seek an individual deal with Russia as a condition of approving a new member, but only those with major trade ties are negotiating.