Iranian, Chinese presidents confer on bilateral ties

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in a meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, discussed ways to further expand the two countries' relations in different arenas, specially in economic fields. The meeting between Rouhani and Jinping was held on the sidelines of the 13th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Bishkek on Thursday. Rouhani left Tehran Thursday for Kyrgyzstan to participate in the SCO Summit. Rouhani’s visit to Bishkek is taking place at the invitation of his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambaev. The SCO Summit will begin work on September 13 in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. President Rouhani will deliver a speech at the SCO Summit and meet with President Atambaev. The Iranian President is also scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart Xi Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan. The visit to Bishkek will be Rouhani’s first foreign trip since taking office on August 4. Iran, along with Afghanistan, India, Mongolia, and Pakistan, has an observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The SCO is an intergovernmental security organization that was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran has always participated in the SCO summits as an observer member.