At the 18th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the establishment of the China-SCO Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Demonstration Zone in Qingdao. Over the past six years, the SCO Demonstration Zone has become an important hub for international logistics, modern trade, bilateral investment cooperation, and humanitarian exchange between SCO countries and participants in the Belt and Road Initiative.
The SCO Demonstration Zone has made a significant contribution to deepening trade and economic ties. Over the past five years, the total volume of imports and exports with SCO member states amounted to 21.34 billion yuan (approximately USD 2.94 billion), with an annual growth rate of 70%. More than 130 projects have been implemented in key sectors such as industrial internet and high-tech equipment, with a total investment exceeding 270 billion yuan (USD 37.14 billion). Among the most significant projects are the Haier Kaos, Shanghai Electric, and Shanhe industrial parks, which promote industrial cooperation within the SCO framework.
The Demonstration Zone is also actively involved in organizing international events. Since its establishment, more than 400 international forums have been held, including the second meeting of energy ministers of the Belt and Road Initiative countries and the first forum on industrial and investment cooperation «China + Five Central Asian Countries. » SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming noted that the Demonstration Zone is a key element in expanding regional interaction and trade-economic cooperation within the organization.
An important step was the creation of a comprehensive service platform in November 2022 to facilitate regional trade and economic cooperation. To date, the platform has brought together more than 14,000 enterprises and processed over 11,000 customs declarations worth more than 100 billion yuan (USD 13.75 billion).
One of the recent achievements is the successful launch of the SCO Multimodal Transport Center. The first batch of new energy vehicles was sent to Tajikistan, and regular cargo transportation continues between China and Central Asia. The Multimodal Transport Center has become an important link in delivering goods from SCO countries to China and back, contributing to further growth in trade in the region.
Today, the SCO Demonstration Zone operates 32 railway routes connecting 54 cities in 23 countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. In addition, the zone has established partnerships with 20 international port cities and 40 industrial parks, initiating the creation of the China-SCO Industrial Parks Alliance.
The China-SCO Trade and Economic Institute, opened in January 2022, provides training for specialists from SCO countries. As of May 2024, 207 training courses have been held for more than 15,000 participants, strengthening human resources and economic ties between countries.
The China-SCO Demonstration Zone continues to develop, playing a key role in promoting international cooperation and strengthening economic ties between the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and participants in the Belt and Road Initiative.
Source: People’s Daily newspaper
