TASHKENT, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as well as the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, have great potential for the stable development of the world community and cooperation between countries, said an Uzbek political scientist in a recent interview with Xinhua.

The promotion of the BRI on the joint construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt was the beginning of a new era in the integration of the world economy, said Anri Sharapov, head of the Department of Economics and Politics of China at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.

"The BRI takes into account the interests of major actors in Eurasia. Over the past seven years it has indeed become an important instrument of international cooperation," Sharapov said, adding that "many states have agreed on important deals within this initiative."

The Uzbek expert believes that the further implementation of the initiative is very important in modern conditions amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, whose negative consequences are acutely affecting the world economy.

Noting the importance of the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Sharapov said that it will play an important role, primarily in joint efforts to mitigate negative consequences of the pandemic and economic slowdown in the SCO member states.

"The SCO summit should contribute to social and economic stability both in the SCO countries and around the world," the Uzbek political scientist added.

Speaking about the SCO's role in aligning the BRI with the Eurasian Economic Union, the Uzbek expert noted that these initiatives do not contradict each other, as they are aimed at greater cooperation in the Eurasian region.

Reminding that the SCO was originally an instrument of ensuring trust along the borders, the scholar said its functions have been enriched now.

"And in this context, within the framework of the upcoming SCO summit, it is also important to discuss the issues of further cooperation in education, people-to-people diplomacy, as well as in the field of security and countering new global challenges and threats," Sharapov said. Enditem

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