Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday called on the international community to oppose politicizing the pandemic, labeling the virus and stigmatizing any particular country. 

Wang made the remarks during a video meeting with foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states. 

The meeting was presided over by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who holds the rotating chairmanship of the SCO this year, and attended by foreign ministers of member states, the Secretary-General of the SCO and the director of the Executive Committee of the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorism Agency.

The foreign ministers from China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan exchanged views on cooperation on the COVID-19 pandemic and the international and regional situation. 

Nothing is more important than saving lives and nothing is more urgent than global cooperation, Wang said. 

Wang called on governments of SCO member countries to focus on fighting the pandemic, conducting global cooperation and playing a leading role. 

Wang said the SCO needs to continue championing the Shanghai spirit and the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind. It needs to strengthen solidarity and coordination and act proactively.

"We must bring the 'SCO strength' to bear on winning an early victory against the virus and getting the economic and social development back on track in the region and beyond," he said.

To this end, Wang called on the SCO member states to promote solidarity and coordination and jointly win the global fight against COVID-19, promote security cooperation to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, promote cooperation of mutual benefits and pursue common development, and promote multilateralism and jointly defend and improve the international system. 

Wang said SCO member countries should enhance Belt and Road cooperation to reduce the impact the pandemic brought to the economic development, calling for a fast channel for businessmen and technical personnel as well as a green channel to transport important supplies and materials. 

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the victory in World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations, Wang called on SCO countries to uphold multilateralism and improve global governance. 

The participants expressed concern about the great impact of COVID-19 on the world's economic and social development and stressed that the international community should adhere to multilateralism, play the leading and coordinating role of the UN system, and unite to fight the pandemic. 

The ministers also exchanged notes on recent tension along the Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan border and terrorism in Afghanistan.

The meeting adopted the Statement of Foreign Ministers of SCO Member States on Responding to COVID-19. 

On Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry briefed media about Wang's attendance at the video conference. 

During the meeting, Wang called on all governments to rise above differences and frictions, people around the world to defy pessimism and fear, and media across the world to observe professional ethics, spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a regular news conference in Beijing.

The SCO member states agreed that international community should uphold multilateralism and improve global governance, Zhao pointed out, calling for more efforts to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit and contribute the SCO member states' share to the global cooperation in concrete ways.