During a packed three-day visit of high-level engagements in Dushanbe, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said China is willing to deeply align its development strategies with Tajikistan and advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and work with all parties to promote higher-quality development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Li arrived here Sunday for an official visit and the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of Member States of the SCO in Tajikistan.

In his meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Li said that China stands ready to broaden bilateral trade with Tajikistan, strengthen cooperation in infrastructure, green minerals, connectivity and other fields, and expand cooperation in emerging industries such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence to jointly build new drivers of economic growth.

China will import more high-quality goods from Tajikistan, encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in Tajikistan, and hopes that Tajikistan will continue to provide a favorable business environment for enterprises, Li said during his talks with Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda.

Both sides should expand exchanges and cooperation in areas such as culture, education, health, sports and local-level fields to enhance the sense of gain of the people of both countries, said Li, noting that the two countries should continue to deepen law enforcement and security cooperation to foster a stable and secure environment for personnel exchanges between the two sides.

This year, China begins the implementation of its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), and Tajikistan is also advancing its National Development Strategy for the period up to 2030, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his talks with Rahmon in May this year, adding that the two sides should focus on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and further align their development strategies.

Now the two countries are seeking to enhance the alignment and cooperation across various fields to support the pursuit of their respective development goals.

Data show that China is Tajikistan's largest trading partner. In 2025, bilateral trade exceeded 30.8 billion yuan (about 4.5 billion U.S. dollars), up 12.5 percent year on year.

During Li's visit, the two sides witnessed the signing of multiple documents covering infrastructure development, education, anti-corruption and standardized cooperation.

Guzel Maitdinova, director of the Center for Geopolitical Studies at the Russian-Tajik (Slavonic) University, told Xinhua that the interaction between the two countries is gradually evolving into a multi-level system of cooperation -- encompassing political, economic, infrastructural, technological, and humanitarian spheres -- that is closely linked to the development of the SCO, China's Belt and Road Initiative, and broader regional processes in central Eurasia.

In his speech at the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of Member States of the SCO, Li said that all parties need to build greater consensus both on the level of underlying principles, including vision, philosophy and thinking, and the level of practical approaches, including operations and implementation, so as to shoulder its historic responsibility and take the initiative in steering the course of history.

Li said that the SCO should strengthen economic and trade cooperation and promote regional economic integration by leveraging the complementary strengths of its members, build a stable and resilient system of international transport corridors, and safeguard the stability and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains.

The SCO should also seek common interests amid differences in countries' concerns and work together to uphold world peace and stability, while promoting harmony and coexistence amid cultural differences, he added.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the SCO. Over the past 25 years, it has shown that countries with different political systems, development paths and civilizations can pursue cooperation together.

"The SCO's international significance is therefore determined not only by its geographical reach or the combined potential of its member states, but also by its ability to translate political agreements into functioning mechanisms for security, economic cooperation, and diplomatic coordination," said Maitdinova.

Amid profound changes in the international landscape, the international role of the SCO is acquiring new dimensions. The organization is becoming not only a platform for regional dialogue and security coordination, but also a mechanism for reconciling the interests of states within an emerging multipolar world order, the expert added.

China stands ready to work hand in hand with all member states to enhance the organization's operational efficiency, strengthen and consolidate cooperation projects, and play a leading and exemplary role in advancing the SCO's high-quality development, implementing the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi, and building a community with a shared future for humanity, Li said.

China is ready to work with all parties to strengthen coordination and complete, as soon as possible, the institutional frameworks and rules for the four security centers, said Li, noting that China is also willing to sponsor 1,000 medical professionals from SCO countries to come to China for further training.

China, as one of the founding members of the SCO, has consistently expanded the organization's cooperation agenda and contributed to its development, SCO Deputy Secretary-General Ahmad Saidmurodzoda said in an earlier interview with Xinhua.