Press Release on the 2022 annual summit of the Shangai Cooperation Organisation

The 2022 SCO summit was the 22nd annual summit of heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation held between 15 and 16 September 2022 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The meeting was attended by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of China Xi Jinping, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev as heads of the SCO member state delegations; President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Iran Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi and President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh as heads of the SCO observer state delegations; President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov as guests of the presiding state (Uzbekistan). Heads of the delegations representing invited international organisations are also participating in the summit.

Earlier, the SCO heads of state held a restricted-attendance meeting.

Following the summit, the leaders signed the Samarkand Declaration and adopted a package of documents.

The SCO Heads of State Council adopted statements in response to climate change, on ensuring reliable, sustainable and diversified supply chains, and on ensuring global food security and international energy security.

In particular, the adopted documents include the decisions of the SCO Heads of State Council on the 2023–2027 Comprehensive Action Plan for the Implementation of the Provisions of the SCO Treaty on Long-term Good Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation; on the SCO Concept of Cooperation for the Development of Connectivity and the Creation of Efficient Transport Corridors; and on the Roadmap for the Gradual Increase in the Share of National Currencies in Mutual Settlements.

In addition, decisions were made to sign the Memorandum of Commitments of the Islamic Republic of Iran so that the country can obtain the status of a member state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation; to initiate the procedure for admitting the Republic of Belarus as a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation; and to grant the status of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation dialogue partner to the Republic of Maldives, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates and the State of Kuwait.

The SCO Heads of State Council also adopted a decision to sign the Memorandum between the SCO Secretariat and the United Nations on education, science and culture (2023–2027).

* * *

In conclusion of his visit to Uzbekistan, Vladimir Putin answered journalists’ questions.

Question: Your most important bilateral meeting has taken place with the leader of China. This was a very important meeting, given the tense atmosphere across the globe, and the whole world was following it. What are the most important outcomes of the meeting?

Vladimir Putin: As strange as it may sound, there was nothing of paramount importance. This was actually a routine meeting between us. We have not met in person for a while, since my trip to Beijing for the opening of the Olympics, and we simply stated a significant increase in bilateral trade.

Our trade stood at US$140 billion last year, as I mentioned earlier, and we had set the goal of reaching US$200 billion, but we considered it to be a long-term task. This year’s mutual trade is expected to reach some US$180 or even US$190 billion, meaning that the goal of US$200 billion is about to be achieved, and I believe this is the bottom line.

We spoke about additional efforts required to expand bilateral trade, and what needs to be done in the current conditions to efficiently resist the illegal restrictions and all sorts of trade wars being unleashed here and there by our so-called trade partners, who apply various illegitimate restrictions.

Nevertheless, we have to take action to respond to this in some way. We are aware of what is happening.

We also spoke about the need to expand trade and settlements in national currencies, which are gradually increasing – not as fast as we would like it to, but there is progress, nonetheless. We talked about major projects we are implementing and mentioned infrastructure projects that would allow us to unblock growing commodity flows. These were the topics of discussion.

But we also mentioned some crisis-related issues and we spoke about them in a friendly yet principled manner.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answers to questions for the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin television programme on the sidelines of the SCO summit, Samarkand, September 15, 2022

Question: How did the talks with China go?

Sergey Lavrov: As usual, fine. Our talks are always business-like, concrete discussions of the tasks facing the relevant ministries and agencies. That was the case this time as well.

Question: Were you able to discuss the tense international situation? In what context?

Sergey Lavrov: Our assessments of the international situation fully align. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping said this at the top of their statements. We have no differences here. We will continue to coordinate our actions, including at the forthcoming UN General Assembly.