SCO Backs Iran’s WTO Accession to Promote Fair Trading System: Chinese Official

Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) voiced in a statement their support for the accession of Iran, Uzbekistan and Belarus to the World Trade Organization (WTO) as part of efforts to promote multilateral trading system (MTS), according to a Chinese Ministry of Commerce official.

In its latest declaration, the SCO Council of Heads of State underlined the importance of boosting trade cooperation among developing and less developed countries and backed the three countries’ accession to global markets, the official told the state news agency Xinhua on Tuesday.

The move comes “as part of global meetings in support of a fair trading system based on international rules,” he said. The official added that SCO members stressed the need for WTO reform and broader cooperation to deliver “practical outcomes” at the WTO Ministerial Conference in 2026.

The statement coincides with the WTO’s 30th anniversary this year. Since its founding, the organization has provided an “open, stable and predictable” framework for global economic growth and has significantly contributed to trade liberalization and economic development, the Chinese official said.

The official noted that some WTO members recently reached a framework deal on “reciprocal tariffs.” SCO members reaffirmed their commitment to core principles such as non-discriminatory trade and urged all parties to respect international trade rules, including those of the WTO.

“Beijing intends to strengthen its cooperation with other SCO members and actively practice genuine multilateralism,” the Commerce Ministry official said.

The SCO summit was held on Aug. 31-Sep. 1 in Tianjin, attended by the presidents of Iran, China, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the prime ministers of India and Pakistan. Other participants included Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and leaders from Armenia, Malaysia and Indonesia. - Iran Daily