Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- China invites member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to create a hotline to exchange information on the epidemiological situation and transboundary infectious diseases. This was stated by the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping at the SCO summit, TASS reports.

“Based on the mechanisms of cooperation, the organization on health issues should deepen exchange and cooperation on monitoring the epidemiological situation, scientific and technical developments, prevention and treatment of diseases. The Chinese side proposes to create a hotline between the national centers for the sanitary and epidemiological control of the member countries of the organization for the timely exchange of information on transboundary infections,” Xi Jinping said.

“We must on a planned and constant basis promote anti-epidemic work and cooperation in various fields, develop interaction in flexible formats, ensure the effective functioning of the relevant mechanisms,” Xi Jinping stressed.

The SCO countries must support the leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) and together confront the politicization of the pandemic, the President of the PRC said. “It is important to increase international cooperation on joint prevention and control, support each other in the fight against COVID-19, together protect the security of regional and global health. It is necessary to support the key leadership role of WHO, to oppose the politicization of the pandemic, to jointly confront the political virus,” he said.

“The pandemic is not only accelerating the transformation of international architecture, but also pulling the world into a period of turmoil and change. The world community is going through serious trials - I mean the confrontation between multilateral and unilateral approaches, openness and isolationism, cooperation and confrontation,” Xi Jinping stressed.