The signing ceremony for the memorandum granting dialogue partner status to the Lao People's Democratic Republic in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in Beijing on Friday morning.

During the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO, held in north China's Tianjin last year, Laos was accepted as a dialogue partner of the SCO.

To date, the SCO includes 10 member states, two observer states and 15 dialogue partners, including Laos.