BEIJING, June 26 -- "The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers' Meeting was held in Qingdao City in east China's Shandong Province from June 25 to 26, 2025. China's Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun presided over the meeting and delivered a speech," said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference on Thursday. This year, China is the rotating chair of the SCO, and hosting the Defense Minister's Meeting is an important activity to perform its duties.
When being asked to introduce the Chinese military's participation in the SCO defense and security cooperation, the spokesperson said that throughout the process of the establishment and development of the SCO, defense and security cooperation has played a role of special significance. The Chinese side has actively promoted strategic communication, deepened substantive cooperation, and initiated many cooperation programs.
The spokesperson added that first, China has organized or participated in the Defense Minister's Meeting, the Chiefs of General Staff Meeting, the meeting of International Military Cooperation Organs, etc. Through these events, China has communicated and exchanged views with all member states, reaching consensus and promoting the "SCO voice" on international and regional security issues. Second, China has hosted the "Peace Mission" joint exercise, the "Fanfare for Peace" military tattoo and the Expert Working Group meetings, participated in them for multiple times, and conducted professional exchanges on military medicine, military transportation, military translation and other areas. Cooperation in various fields has been deepened and solidified. Third, China has initiated and held the SCO Seminar for Senior-Level Officers, the SCO Junior-and-Middle-Level Officers' Exchange, and the "SCO+" Young Scholars' Salon, all of which have enriched the channels for exchanges among service members of the SCO member states, and strengthened their friendship and mutual trust.
The spokesperson stressed that the Chinese military will work with militaries of other SCO member states to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, further broaden and deepen defense cooperation, and join hands in building a common home featuring solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, and fairness and justice, thereby contributing to building a community with a shared future for mankind.