China will continue to make joint efforts with other Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members to promote cooperation in regional security, a defense ministry official said in Beijing Wednesday.

Qian Lihua, deputy director-general of the foreign affairs office of the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks at the closing ceremony of the SCO Defense and Security Forum, which opened in Beijing on November 7.

Qian said China shares common interests and pursuits as the SCO member states and countries with SCO observer status in the establishment of a just and rational international political and economic order.

"China will actively advocate and implement the new concept of security based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation so as to promote the in-depth and pragmatic development of regional cooperation in security among the SCO," Qian said.

During the 10-day forum, participants conducted broad and deep discussions on issues such as the international situation, regional security, anti-terrorism cooperation and the role and the future development of the SCO. They also visited Shanghai and Qingdao.

The forum, with the theme of China's peaceful development and regional security cooperation, was an implementation of the consensus reached at the SCO summit in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, in July.

Twenty-six high-ranking military officers from Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan as well as Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran and India attended the forum.

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2005)