China proposes six platforms for SCO cooperation

The SCO should speed up connectivity among members. Major railway and highway projects will be undertaken to establish a central Asia-centered traffic network for Eurasia, the premier said.

He also proposed improving the efficiency of the China-Europe train service, building an international logistics park in east China's Lianyungang and beefing up cooperation in satellite navigation.

Li called for improving the financial cooperation mechanism. He called for the steady expansion of the SCO Interbank Consortium, which will fund large projects. China will consider the establishment of SCO development bank with related parties when the time is ripe, while promoting the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and New Development Bank for the BRICS to support SCO members' projects, Li said.

China has provided 27.1 billion dollars of credit line to SCO members. The China-Eurasia Economic Cooperation Fund, which aims to support SCO members, observers and dialogue partners, has launched investment in its first group of projects, he added.

In addition, SCO members should establish a regional trade cooperation mechanism, said Li. He called on commerce ministers to take measures to ensure easier clearance, proposing the establishment of an SCO e-commerce alliance to facilitate transnational e-business.

SCO members should also encourage cooperation in culture, food safety and environment. Cooperation in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery needs to be strengthened to ensure food safety and safeguard the environment, said Li.

He called for more convenient visa policies to promote tourism and personnel exchanges. He also promised scholarships for 20,000 students from SCO members annually in the next five years and training for 2,000 people within three years.

The SCO currently has six member states -- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with some other countries as observers and dialogue partners.