Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in Dushanbe Friday that China planned to double its trade volume with the other member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) by 2010.

After the annual prime ministers meeting of SCO member countries, held in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, Wen told reporters that China had set a goal to increase its turnover with SCO members from the current 40 billion U.S. dollars, up to 80 to 100 billion dollars in the next four years.

Economic cooperation was an important aspect of the cooperation among SCO members, the Premier said, adding that all the member states had contributed to the promotion of trade and investment facilitation in a bid to ensure the steady growth in the areas of economy and trade.

Therefore, "China will increase its exports while expanding its imports," he said.

Wen added that key areas of cooperation among SCO members included energy, transportation and telecommunication. China has pledged to extend export buyer's credit worth 900 million dollars to other SCO members.

A number of large projects using the preferential credit were underway. All projects would be launched through "open, just and transparent bidding," he said.

Wen said China was ready to grant further credit and financial support so as to strengthen the concrete cooperation with all SCO members and to bring benefits to all.

The SCO, a regional organization founded in June, 2001, now includes China, Russia and four central Asian states -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Source: Xinhua