On December 28, 2018, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met at Zhongnanhai with outgoing Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Rashid Alimov.

Wang Yi spoke highly of Rashid Alimov's important contributions to the development of the SCO during his term of office as the Secretary-General of the SCO. Wang Yi noted that the Shanghai Spirit upheld by the SCO is in line with the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, complies with the development trend of the times and is well-suited to the cooperation needs of the SCO member states, and the cooperation among the SCO member states has set an example for pushing the building of a new type of international relations. During Mr. Secretary-General's three-year tenure, the SCO has realized membership expansion for the first time smoothly, held the Qingdao Summit successfully and entered a new and higher development stage. Confronted by a complex and ever-changing international situation, the SCO should further strengthen mutual trust, solidarity and cooperation to make greater contributions to safeguarding regional security and development and promoting world development and prosperity. Having full confidence in the prospect of the SCO, the Chinese side is willing to work with other SCO member states to comprehensively implement the achievements of the Qingdao Summit and push the SCO for new development at the new starting point.

Rashid Alimov thanked the Chinese side for providing support during his term of office, and said that the past three years have seen the constantly expanded cooperation fields of the SCO, with its increasingly apparent achievements and significantly enhanced global influence. As a result, the cohesion and bonds of the SCO member states have been increasingly enhanced, and the attraction and appeal of the Shanghai Spirit have been expanded worldwide. The Qingdao Summit has also pushed the SCO to a new development stage. It is hoped and believed that the Chinese side will continue to play an important and positive role in pushing the greater development of the SCO.