BISHKEK, May 2 (Xinhua) -- China plays an important role in system building within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), SCO Deputy Secretary-General Oleg Kopylov said in an interview with Xinhua on Saturday.

As a founding member of the SCO, China has continuously advanced multiple initiatives aimed at strengthening multilateral cooperation, Kopylov said while attending a Silk Road-themed marathon in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan.

He said last year's Tianjin summit, held in September, was the largest in the SCO's history, adding that various initiatives proposed by China have already been integrated into the organization's work.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO's founding, Kopylov said. Over the past 25 years, the SCO has grown into the world's largest comprehensive regional organization in terms of geographical coverage and population, with ministerial-level meetings covering areas including education, transport, digital development and agriculture, he noted.

Kopylov said he believes the organization will continue to expand and strengthen in the years ahead.

The 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO will be held in Kyrgyzstan later this year.

Kopylov expressed hope that the summit would lead to concrete agreements on further deepening cooperation in security, including joint efforts to combat terrorism, separatism, extremism, transnational crime and drug trafficking, as well as improving rapid response mechanisms to modern challenges and threats.

"We are continuously improving the efficiency of the SCO's work, which is one of our key priorities," Kopylov said. ■