Top Chinese judicial official Wang Shengjun expounded on China's position on judicial protection of gender equity, and banning interrogation by torture at the two-day meeting of the judicial heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states that opened?in Dushanbe?Thursday.

Wang, president of the Supreme People's Court of China, said gender equity has long been a noble pursuit of the human beings and at the same time a global, comprehensive and long-term social issue.

Among various factors that influence gender equity, the development of legislature and judicial protection play a key role and hold crucial significance to safeguarding and promoting gender equity, he said.

He briefed his counterparts on China's progress in this regard since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially since China adopted a policy of reform and opening up to the rest of the world.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the meeting, Wang described the meeting as a crucial platform for SCO member states to strengthen judicial exchanges and cooperation.

Since the first meeting of judicial heads was held in Shanghai in 2006, China has carried out regular judicial exchanges and cooperation with other SCO members in the spirit of SCO's mission, and has achieved positive results, he said.

The exchanges and cooperation have played an important role in preventing and cracking down on cross-border crimes, combating the "Three Evil Forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism, and promoting regional peace and development, he added.

At the end of the meeting, participants issued a joint statement on beefing up judicial protection of gender equity and improving judicial practice to prevent torture during interrogation.

During his stay in Tajikistan, Wang also held talks with his Tajik counterpart Nusratullo Abdulloyev on Wednesday.

The SCO, founded on June 15, 2001, groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.