The SCO Forum on Women was held in the coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province from Sept 10 to 12. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinese and foreign guests attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Forum on Women paid a visit to the Qingdao SCODA Pearl International Expo Center on Sept 12, experiencing the fruitful achievements of Qingdao's economic and social development, especially by women.

This year, Qingdao was designated as the tourism and cultural capital of the SCO from 2024 to 2025. The city is promoting mutual understanding among people from various countries, strengthening cooperation in terms of women's advancement, and promoting the construction of a better SCO home.

"China, as the country with the strongest economy and the richest historical heritage among SCO countries, undoubtedly plays an important role in cultural exchanges," said Zamira Akbagysheva, chairwoman of the Women's Conference of Kyrgyzstan. "The friendship between China and Kyrgyzstan has a long history, and in 2023, the leaders of the two countries announced that China-Kyrgyzstan relations would become a comprehensive, strategic partnership in the new era. We will use this forum as an opportunity to strengthen exchanges, and work together to create a brighter future for bilateral cooperation."

As an important platform for promoting economic and cultural ties among member states, the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area has always foucsed on promoting the development of women's careers to create a fair, inclusive, and supportive environment.

During the visit, elements with Qingdao characteristics such as the Jiaozhou yangko dance, traditional calligraphy and painting, and intangible cultural heritage paper cutouts attracted the attention of many guests.

Additionally, Armenian specialty drinks, Russian honey and chocolates, and Iranian saffron also caught the guests' attention. The national pavilions with their unique cultural elements intertwined the cultures of SCO countries and showed the beauty of their diverse civilizations.

The SCO Forum on Women is held in the coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province from Sept 10 to 12. [Photo/WeCtat account: opinionline]

Chinese and foreign guests attending the SCO Forum on Women visit the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area. [Photo by Yu Hao/Guanhai News]