Scholars, corporate leaders hail fresh visions
Experts and business executives from home and abroad have hailed the visions and concrete plans outlined by President Xi Jinping’s speeches at the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit as well as the consensus reached at the gathering.
The “Shanghai Spirit” combined with Confucianism, which champions harmony, unity and the common good, is the need of the hour, said Rajeev Sahai, a senior technical manager at PacMarine Services Consultancy.
“Most of the mistrust comes from an egoistic attitude and being secretive. Therefore President Xi’s emphasis on openness and getting rid of the Cold War mentality is a very good gesture,” he said.
Sahai expected some logical steps to be taken after this summit to counter terrorism, eliminate border disputes and boost trade.
Xi hopes that the SCO will serve as a new and successful example of creating a shared future for mankind, said Li Yihai, secretary-general and executive director at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Think Tank Foundation.
“Xi put forward very tangible and concrete plans, such as law enforcement personnel training programs, to promote common security among nations, which is a prerequisite to the economic, social and cultural development across the region,” Li said.
The Qingdao summit represents “a big treasure” for people from the SCO member countries, said Pachkevitch Yan, a senior reporter at Belarus State TV & Radio Company.
“We need to ... do something for the common good,” he said. “The achievements during the Qingdao summit suggest that our leaders understand it and are pulling in their efforts and wisdom to make it happen.”
Such views were echoed by Guan Qing, chairman of China State Construction Engineering Corp, which has built over 40 projects with a total contract value of $5 billion in a number of SCO member countries in the past two years.
Guan said Xi’s visionary remarks embodied the principle of “extensive consultation, joint contributions and shared benefits” that can serve as the conducting baton for business practices.
Business executives also see synergies being unleashed between the SCO and the Belt and Road Initiative, both of which aim to forge stronger ties and enhance connectivity across countries.
Alexander Machkevitch, chairman of Eurasian Resources Group from Kazakhstan, said his mining company stands at the nexus of economic ties between China and other SCO members as an active contributor to the Belt and Road Initiative.
“It is important to recognize the opportunity that the initiative provides to nurture talent and develop new capabilities across Eurasia,” he said, adding that China is starting to share knowledge, develop technology and provide human resources in related markets.
According to Li from the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, being part of the initiative is conducive to the stability and prosperity of SCO member nations.