On March 31, 2025, in Beijing, the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Nurlan Yermekbayev, attended an event with representatives from the leadership of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR, PRC) and the accredited diplomatic corps in Beijing. The meeting was attended by a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Secretary of the Party Committee of the XUAR, Ma Xingrui.
In his welcoming speech to the distinguished guests, the Secretary-General emphasized the special significance of Xinjiang as the "western gateway" of China and an important link in interregional cooperation within the framework of the SCO. Highly appreciating the contribution of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to regional security and the fight against the "three evils" (terrorism, extremism, and separatism), Nurlan Yermekbayev wished this region of the country further success in strengthening stability, economic development, and interethnic harmony.