BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) should stay committed to openness and cooperation to facilitate each other's development and rejuvenation.

Xi made the remarks in Beijing while addressing the 21st meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO via video link.

All SCO countries are at a critical stage of development, and they need to give full play to unique strengths of being close to each other and sharing common interests, said Xi.

"We need to stay committed to openness and cooperation, and jointly pursue our shared goal of development and rejuvenation," he said.