President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to ensure security in the face of real threat from the Cold War mentality.

Xi made the remarks when attending the SCO summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

He urged the member states to adhere to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, address complex and intertwined security challenges through dialogue and coordination, and respond to the profoundly changing international landscape with a win-win approach, so as to build a world of lasting peace and universal security.

As the world is faced with accelerating changes unseen in a century, the human society is standing at a crossroads of history again, Xi said.

The president pointed out that the SCO stands on the right side of history, fairness and justice, and is of great significance to the world.

SCO members should consolidate unity and jointly oppose external interference in the face of the real challenges of interference and division, he said.

Addressing the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasised the group's focus on ensuring security of its members, and said the SCO will form a dedicated centre that will coordinate response to various security challenges.

He added that the group's members will also endorse a special program to fight separatism and extremism. (Xinhua/AP)