On July 5, 2005, the 5th SCO Summit was held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the summit and delivered an important speech. The six heads of state have coordinated their positions and made concrete arrangements on deepening regional security and economic cooperation. They also exchanged views on major regional and international issues. The six heads of state signed such important documents as the Declaration of the Heads of the States Participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and decided to grant Pakistan, Iran and India observer status and continue to adopt a series of concrete measures aimed at strengthening solidarity, combating terrorism through cooperation and developing economy.

A series of documents signed during the summit are of important significance to ensuring the smooth development of the organization against new changes taking place in regional situation, planning the next steps of the organization, and deepening the pragmatic cooperation in such fields as economy and security.

The summit opened at 10:45 a.m. The heads of state of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan successively held small- and large-scale meetings. In the large-scale meeting Hu Jintao delivered an important speech titled Strengthening Solidarity and Cooperation, and Promoting Stability and Development. He pointed out that the development of the SCO has entered an important stage. New situations, tasks and challenges require all member states to enhance mutual trust, strengthen solidarity and deepen cooperation. We should strive to translate the organization's cooperation potentials into actual results and jointly deal with the challenges brought about by the complex and changing international and regional situations. Currently we should focus on the following tasks.

First, to make the best efforts to strengthen the security cooperation. Without stability, there is no development to speak of. The "three forces" (extremism, separatism and terrorism) have constituted severe threats to all member states and the whole region. We must unremittingly promote the implementation of documents and agreements on fighting against the three forces, conduct effective exchanges of intelligence, and speed up the research on the establishment of emergency mechanisms.

Second, to promote the economic cooperation for early turnout of actual results. We should strengthen coordination and intensify our input to implement the Outline on Multilateral Economic and Trade Cooperation and the Plan of Execution Measures step by step and with priorities. We should work for the early establishment of a banking union, explore complementary bilateral and multilateral cooperation models that involve both governments and enterprises, stimulate the SCO to establish contacts and carry out cooperation with international financial institutions, and create favorable conditions for deepening the economic cooperation. China attaches great importance to the implementation of the 900-million-US-dollar buyer's export credit promised in the Tashkent Summit. China has decided to offer more preferential treatments in terms of the interest rate, the time limit and the guarantee qualifications of the loan.

Third, to deepen the cooperation in humanities. We should adopt effective measures to develop and deepen the cooperation in such fields as culture, disaster relief, education, tourism and media. We should enhance the cooperation in the capacity building of human resources. China will set aside a special fund to train 1,500 management and professional talents in different fields for other member states within three years.

In retrospect, Hu noted that the development achievements of the SCO are the results that all member states strengthened the solidarity and collaboration and dealt with the changes of international situation together. Looking into the future, we shall maintain solidarity and collaboration if the SCO is to conquer all difficulties and challenges on its way ahead and keep achieving new progress. As long as all member states strengthen their coordination and further the cooperation, the ship of the SCO will brave the wind and the waves and sail forward with indomitable will.

With regard to the situation in the Central Asian region, Hu expounded China's position. He said that the people of all Central Asian countries are entitled to independently choose the roads of development that conform to their actual conditions and the people have the wisdom and capability to handle their internal affairs as well as the regional affairs of Central Asia. We hope that the deepening and development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation of all forms in the Central Asian will help us deal with challenges, advance regional development, maintain regional stability, and fulfill common prosperity.

Hu finally indicated that the SCO is an important tool for us to realize our interests. The Chinese side will continue as always to work with all sides to seek solidarity, promote cooperation and pursue development so that the SCO can benefit the people of all member states and play a greater role in maintaining world peace and promoting common development.

President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, the host country of the summit, pointed out in his speech that the SCO has become an international organization with great vitality and broad development prospects. We will further consolidate cooperation, realize common development, take practical measures to implement the multilateral economic and trade cooperation outline, complete the establishment of a development fund and an industrial committee, make new strides in the educational cooperation and improve the anti-terrorism law within the framework of the organization.

Acting President Bakiyev of Kyrgyzstan said that the Kyrgyz side attaches great importance to the SCO and will make efforts to promote its development and improve its efficiency and performance. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed that the Russian side will make constructive efforts to fulfill all tasks identified in this summit in a timely and all-round manner. It is an important part of Russian diplomatic policies to develop and consolidate the SCO and improve the cooperation level of all member states. He stressed that it is a priority to maintain the stability and security of the Central Asian countries and all member states when facing threats and challenges. President Rakhmonov of Tajikistan suggested further strengthening international coordination, deepening cooperation and improving the ability of the SCO to deal with new challenges. President Karimov of Uzbekistan noted that all member states should raise their alertness to those unstable factors in the security situation and join hands in maintaining regional peace and stability.

The six heads of state unanimously agreed to hold the next summit in China next year. Hu Jintao, on behalf of the Chinese government, extended thanks to the leaders for their trust in China. He expressed that the Chinese side will go all out to make sound preparations for the next summit. He welcomes the leaders of member states and observers to attend the next summit in China. All leaders warmly welcomed the opportunity with applauses.

Mongolian President Enkhbayar, Pakistani Prime Minister Aziz, Iranian Vice President Aref, and Indian Foreign Minister Singh who attended the summit as observers and Zhang Deguang, Secretary General of the SCO all delivered speeches in the large-scale meeting. After the meeting, the six heads of state signed such documents as the Declaration of the Heads of the States Participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Resolution on Approving the Vision of the SCO Member States to Combat Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism through Cooperation and the document of granting Pakistan, Iran and India observer status.

The Declaration pointed out that the tasks to further develop and consolidate the SCO identified in the Tashkent Summit last year have been primarily accomplished. The organization has actively cooperated with other international organizations and countries. It is believed that accepting Pakistan, Iran and India as observers will strengthen the potentials of the SCO in developing multilateral and mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields. The heads of state support the UN to take rational and necessary reform to raise its efficiency and safeguard its authoritativeness. They reaffirmed that the reform of UN should follow the principle of reaching consensus through the most extensive consultations rather than setting the reform timetable or making forced voting when parties concerned still hold major differences on the specific reform scheme.

It is pointed out in the Declaration that the heads of state will continue to support the anti-terrorism operations of the international coalition forces in Afghanistan. As the large-scale military operations against terrorism have primarily ended in Afghanistan, the SCO member states believed that it is necessary for the coalition parties to set a deadline for the temporary use of SCO member states' infrastructure and their military presence in these countries.

According to the Declaration, the heads of state support the Central Asian countries' efforts in maintaining the national and regional peace, stability and security. They agreed that the SCO should play an active role in promoting the stability and economic development of Central Asia. They believed that all member states should make joint efforts to effectively deal with new challenges faced by regional and international peace and stability.

Following the summit, all leaders participating in the summit met with journalists and respectively commented on the summit and introduced their expectations for the future development of the organization.