Participants of the first SCO Political Parties Forum on Saturday agree to make the meeting an annual regularity, as they aim for peace and stability in the new era.

The first SCO Political Parties Forum opened Saturday in south China’s Shenzhen. More than 200 delegates from some 30 political parties attended the forum, including political parties from India and Pakistan. The two countries are newly included to the organization that now accounts for more than half of the world’s population and of the world’s landmass.

Anirban Ganguly, with the Bharatiya Janata Party in India, told CGTN that India’s inclusion in the SCO means more parties could join hands in dealing with common challenges. He said even when extremism and terrorism become a global challenge, SCO members could pull all resources together to counter it.

Ayasga Rasa Farooq, Pakistan’s senator with the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, said the SCO has been expanding its outreach and influence. It’s now in a place to address various issues from societal changes, youth situation to gender equality. With China taking the leadership role in the organization, she believed the organization and its people will head for prosperity.

Sergey Zheleznyak, deputy secretary of the General Council of the United Russia party, also said that (as) “the SCO now accounts for more than half of the world’s population, it’s getting more important and more influential in the world by the day.”

He said, “I believe it will go on a different path compared with other organizations, as we promote openness and communication, believing we are of a community with a shared destiny.”