BEIJING, April 10 -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Thursday released a statement pledging support for an open and transparent multilateral trading system.

The SCO member states support an open, transparent, just, inclusive and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, and are committed to promoting the development of an open world economy, the statement said.

The member states firmly uphold and strengthen the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core in order to effectively address trade challenges, it said.

The member states reaffirm the importance of strengthening development discussions within the WTO framework, and stress the need to support an open, inclusive, sustainable, stable, diversified and reliable global supply chain, per the statement.