The Chinese president and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin also held talks during the summit, outlining plans and detailed steps to improve their bilateral ties. They also discussed strategic security efforts and major international and regional issues.

The two agreed to improve their collaboration in different fields and soon begin work on the China-Russia commercial chamber of machinery and electric products, which aims to promote their bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Both stressed further negotiations on crude oil pipeline construction and natural gas projects and agreed to speed up working out the mid- and long-term plans for cooperation between the two countries.

Hu and Putin said they should further implement the Sino-Russian strategic security negotiations to improve their efforts to crack down on terrorism, separatism and extremism. They also said they should join forces to tackle other major security issues to protect the strategic interests of both countries.

On the sidelines of the Bishkek summit, Hu also exchanged views with the presidents of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Iran and Afghanistan, discussing bilateral relations and issues of common concern.

Peace Mission 2007

According to the preset schedule, the SCO members held joint antiterrorism military maneuvers, dubbed "Peace Mission 2007," in Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural Mountains. All SCO leaders observed the drill.

The drill's purpose was to "demonstrate the determination of the SCO member states in the fight against three evil forces-extremism, terrorism and separatism-as well as the common desire to ensure security and stability in the region and stimulate general development and prosperity," said Cao Gangchuan, China's Defense Minister.

SCO members conducted the joint drill, the first of its kind with military forces from all SCO members, on August 9-17. About 6,500 troops and 80 aircraft from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan participated. China sent 1,600 troops. The drill involved airborne forces, fighter-bombers, military helicopters, armored vehicles and other heavy weapons.

Pan Guang, Director of the SCO Research Center at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said that cooperation in defense security has always been one of the important tasks of the SCO, because the organization was established to maintain regional security, stability and peaceful development through multilateral cooperation.

The military drill consolidated mutual trust among the SCO members, deepened their practical cooperation, promoted common development and improved the international reputation of the SCO, Pan said in a Xinhua News Agency report.

Although Central Asia is enjoying general stability and has made remarkable progress in the political, economic and social spheres, it still faces challenges from the three evil forces and other threats, Pan said.

The military exercise was not directed at any third party and had conformed to the interest of all six members. "It means SCO cooperation in the defense field will not turn it into a military alliance," he said in the news report.

Other SCO members praised the drill. Russian Commander Vladimir Moltenskoi, who was in charge of the exercise, said it was a new step in training SCO members' armed forces for jointly combating threats of terrorism, separatism and extremism in Central Asia, according to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency.

Brief History of SCO Summits June 14-15, 2001: Presidents of the member states of the "Shanghai Five" - China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan - met for their sixth summit in Shanghai and announced that Uzbekistan would join the organization. The six heads of states signed the Declaration of the SCO on June 15, officially inaugurating the SCO. June 7, 2002: The second SCO summit was held St. Petersburg. The leaders of the six countries signed the Charter of the SCO to define the organization's development goals and institutionalize cooperation among members. May 29, 2003: The leaders of the SCO member states held their third summit in Moscow to discuss how to meet challenges and strengthen cooperation. They reached a consensus on institutionalizing the SCO and on some major international issues. They also approved the appointment of Zhang Deguang, China's Ambassador to Russia, as the SCO's first secretary general. June 17, 2004: The fourth SCO summit meeting was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where the presidents of the six member states formally declared they would cooperate in fighting terrorism and coping with new security threats. They also agreed to strengthen their economic and trade ties. Mongolia became an SCO observer. July 5, 2005: SCO leaders held their fifth summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, to discuss ways to strengthen unity and further cooperation in economic, security and social affairs. India, Iran and Pakistan became SCO observers. At the end of the summit, the heads of state issued a declaration on strengthening cooperation within the organization. June 15, 2006: The sixth SCO summit opened in Shanghai. The six heads of state proposed a long-term plan for SCO development. They also issued a joint declaration on the SCO's fifth anniversary, identifying major tasks for the next-stage development of the organization. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)