The International Economic Innovation and Development Working Committee visited the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission to coordinate cooperation.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization Time

On the afternoon of May 21, 2026, at the invitation of Hu Kaiqiang, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform, Xu Guolu, Chairman of the Platform’s International Economic Innovation and Development Working Committee, former Deputy Inspector of the Operations Monitoring and Coordination Bureau of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and former Deputy Director of the Institute for Innovation and Development at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, led a delegation to the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission to conduct a focused consultation on matters related to economic and trade cooperation and industrial synergy. Li Huaxiang, Director of the Consultation and Research Division of the NDRC’s International Cooperation Center, and other officials extended a warm welcome. The two sides engaged in an in-depth exchange on issues such as the implementation of international cooperation, coordinated policy research, precise project alignment, and the sharing of information resources.

During the symposium, Xu Guolu outlined the background, strategic positioning, and operational achievements of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform. Li Huaxiang, Director of the Consulting and Research Division at the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, along with other officials, extended a warm welcome. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on issues such as the implementation of international cooperation, coordinated policy research, precise project matchmaking, and the sharing of information resources.

During the symposium, the two sides convened a “Conference on Economic, Trade, and Industrial Cooperation.” Xu Guolu began by providing a detailed overview of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform (hereinafter referred to as the “Platform”), including its background, development positioning, and operational achievements. The Platform was established under the support of the SCO Secretariat and the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee and Government, jointly initiated by the People’s Government of Liangjiang New Area in Chongqing and the SCO Business Council. It is a non‑profit, multi‑sectoral, multifunctional international exchange and cooperation platform centered on economic and trade activities, strategically located in Chongqing, rooted in China, extending its reach across the SCO region, linking neighboring areas, and engaging with the global community. In line with President Xi Jinping’s series of important initiatives—such as “gradually establishing institutional arrangements for regional economic cooperation, supporting the creation of local cooperation mechanisms, and actively promoting cooperation among small and medium-sized enterprises”—as articulated at the 17th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States in 2017, and in accordance with the key consensus reached by the heads of state of all member countries, the Platform serves as a vital bridge and core vehicle for pragmatic cooperation within the SCO framework. As a priority open‑door initiative promoted by Chongqing Municipality, the Platform remains firmly anchored in the broader national strategy of opening up, focusing on economic and trade collaboration and people‑to‑people exchanges between China and other SCO member states. It supports local investment promotion, empowers high‑quality regional development, and advances high‑level opening up, and has now become an indispensable platform for practical cooperation under the SCO framework. To date, the Platform has established 36 sectoral working committees, bringing together nearly 2,000 high‑quality enterprises. From 2023 to 2024, it has facilitated outbound investments totaling close to RMB 40 billion, with RMB 17.6 billion of that amount having been channeled into projects based in Chongqing.

Luo Yongyun, Secretary-General of the Platform’s International Economic Innovation and Development Working Committee, presented two major projects slated for prioritized development: International Digital Service Center (including five major functions such as digital warehousing, financial factoring, and cultural‑tourism services), International Barter Trading Platform (Initial product screening and pilot site selection have been completed, and a distinctive trade system for SCO member states has been established.)

Li Huaxiang outlined the core functions and operational framework of the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, noting that the two parties share highly aligned strategic positioning and vast potential for collaboration. The Center will provide comprehensive support for the implementation of platform projects through policy analysis, resource integration, and information sharing.

Xu Hongwei, the project leader at the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, highlighted the center’s resource advantages in policy research, international cooperation, and planning consultancy. He recommended that the platform identify priority areas and develop a collaborative action plan to advance cooperation in a pragmatic manner. Furthermore, he proposed detailed cooperation proposals for the two major projects, focusing on cross-border trade, digital settlement, RMB‑denominated transactions, and industrial park development. He also invited the platform and its resident enterprises to participate in relevant events to explore practical models for specialized collaborations, such as barter trade involving Sichuan pepper and other spices.

Guo Chao, General Manager of Beijing Dongfang Ruiwei Technology Development Co., Ltd., a member organization of the platform, outlined the company’s business lines and competitive advantages, stating that it will leverage the platform’s resources to engage deeply in economic and trade cooperation among SCO member states, thereby supporting the coordinated development of regional industries.

This round of alignment aims to closely integrate with national strategies, promote the precise convergence of the Belt and Road Initiative with the development strategies of SCO member states, and deepen all‑round economic, trade, and industrial cooperation within the SCO framework.

(Contributed by the Platform’s International Economic Innovation and Development Working Committee)