Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan will make an official visit to Tajikistan and attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) defense ministers' meeting from March 29 to April 1, the Defense Ministry announced Thursday.

Chang's visit is at the invitation of his Tajikistan counterpart, Sherali Mirzo, ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said.

According to Geng, Chang will exchange views with SCO defense ministers on implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of SCO members. They will also discuss specific measures to strengthen defense and security cooperation, maintain regional peace and stability and fight terrorism, separatism and extremism.

The SCO, an inter-governmental organization, was founded in China's Shanghai on June 15, 2001. It is composed of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and China. It also has Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as its observer states, and Belarus, Turkey and Sri Lanka as dialogue partners.