Experts and scholars from around the world attending the Green Development Forum of SCO Countries visit SCODA on July 9. [Photo/Guanhai News]

The Green Development Forum of Shanghai Cooperation Organization Countries lowered its curtains in Qingdao, Shandong on July 9. It was the first high-level event among SCO member countries with a focus on green development.

During the forum, experts and scholars from around the world paid a visit to the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area, also known as SCODA, where they experienced the role of this new international cooperation platform in promoting economic and trade cooperation and exchanges among SCO and countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), appreciating the unique charm of the open city of Qingdao.

The two-day forum concluded with the end of the visit. In serving the overall national opening strategy, Qingdao has undertaken the national responsibility of building the SCODA, becoming an important stage for promoting pragmatic cooperation between China and SCO countries.

Qingdao, newly endowed with the title of "tourism and cultural capital of SCO for 2024 to 2025," will fully leverage the SCODA as a high-level international platform for exchange and cooperation, deeply integrate into the joint development of the BRI, and enrich cooperation content and expand cooperation space, aiming to jointly create a better future.

During the 2018 SCO Qingdao Summit, China announced that it will support the construction of the SCODA in Qingdao. Over the past six years, the area has grown from nothing into a significant development. The core area of the SCODA currently includes 31 out of 41 major industries from 41 countries, with over 15,000 registered industrial enterprises and over 245,000 market entities.

Backed up by the SCODA, Qingdao has deepened cooperation and exchanges between SCO member countries in areas such as economics, trade, culture, and tourism. Qingdao now has 15 international friendship cities in 12 SCO member countries. Leveraging multiple channels, such as sea, land, air, and rail, Qingdao is building an international logistics network. SCODA has opened 32 regular China-Europe freight train routes, with over 3,200 trains running, resulting in a cumulative foreign trade value of 21.34 billion yuan ($2.93 billion) with SCO member countries, an annual growth rate of 70 percent.