Articles of Association of The Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Chapter One   General Principles

Article 1

The official English name shall be the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (hereinafter referred to as the Commission, Abbr. GNFCC), and its Russian name shall be Китайский Комитет ШОС по добрососедству, дружбе и сотрудничеству (Abbr. КДДС).

Article 2

The Commission is a nationwide, non-profit social organization voluntarily formed by academic institutions, educational and cultural groups and related parties, which is committed to promoting friendly exchanges among the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Abbr. SCO).

Article 3

The aims of GNFCC: The Commission shall be in accordance with the principles and spirits established by the SCO in order to expand and consolidate the social foundation for various cooperative fields among the SCO. Its purpose is to promote the civil exchanges among the member states, observer states and dialogue partners according to the consensus reached by the Heads of member states of the SCO; to promote mutually beneficial cooperation and common development; to lay a solid public and social foundation for the development of the SCO; to build a peaceful and harmonious region around the SCO areas.

The Commission shall abide by the Constitution, Laws, Regulations, National Policies as well as social ethics, practice the Core Values of Chinese Socialism, promote patriotism and strengthen honor and self-discipline with consciousness.

Article 4

Adhering to the comprehensive leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and according to the Constitution of the CPC, the Commission will establish organizations of the CPC to carry out the Party activities, and provide necessary conditions for supporting those activities.

Article 5

The Commission accepts business guidance and supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that is the competent business unit and the Ministry of Civil Affairs which is the organization registration management agency.

Article 6

The seat of the commission shall be in Beijing.

Chapter II   Business Scope

Article 7

The business scope of the Commission shall be listed as follows:

(i) promoting and assisting academic and educational institutions and organizations among the member states of the SCO to actively carry out international exchanges and cooperation, expand non-governmental exchanges among member states, and consolidate and deepen the good-neighborly and friendly relations among member states;

(ii) promoting cultural exchanges among member states;

(iii) conducting research on the development of the SCO and deepening cooperation in various fields from the perspective of civil society organizations, promoting relevant exchanges, proposing ideas and recommendations for the reference of official institutions;

(iv) promoting exchanges between youth and women's organizations among the member states, and fostering the friendly relations among the young generation of members and specific groups of society;

(v) promoting exchanges and cooperation on media to enhance mutual understanding among the member states;

(vi) actively promoting the above-mentioned exchanges and cooperation among the SCO member states, observer states and dialogue partners.

Business that are required to be complied by laws, rules and regulations shall be conducted after being approved in accordance with the law.

Chapter III   Membership

Article 8

Members of the Commission shall include enterprise members, institution members and individual members.

Article 9

Members who apply to join the Commission shall meet the following qualifications:

(i) advocating the Articles of Association of the GNFCC;

(ii) bearing the strong will to join the Commission;

(iii) having great influence in the business field of the Commission.

Article 10

The procedures for enrolling are listed as follows:

(i) submitting an application for membership;

(ii) being discussed and approved by the Council;

(iii) a membership Certificate shall be issued by the Council or an agency authorized by the Council.

Article 11

Members shall be entitled with the following rights:

(i) voting, the right to vote and to be elected voting rights for the Commission;

(ii) participating in the activities held by the Commission;

(iii) obtaining the priority of the services offered by the Commission;

(iv) criticizing and suggesting the work of the Commission;

(v) freedom of joining and withdrawing.

Article 12

Members shall fulfill the following obligations:

(i) complying with the Articles of Association of the GNFCC and implementing Resolutions made by the Commission;

(ii) maintaining the lawful rights and interests of the Commission;

(iii) performing the work assigned by the Commission;

(iv) paying the membership dues as required;

(v) reporting the situation to the Commission and providing relevant information.

Article 13

Member's withdrawal shall be notified to the Commission in writing and the membership certificate shall be returned. If a member has been failing to pay dues or has been absent from the activities held by the Commission for 2 years, it would be deemed to be automatically withdrawn.

Article 14

If a member has a serious violation of the Articles of Association, it shall be removed through the vote of the Council.

Chapter IV  

Organization and Appointment & Recall of the Person in charge

Article 15

The Supreme-power authority of the Commission shall be the Congress of Member Representatives to perform powers as follows:

(i) formulating and amending the Articles of Association of the GNFCC;

(ii) electing and recalling members of Council;

(iii) reviewing the work report and financial report of the Council;

(iv) formulating and modifying the standard of the Membership Dues;

(v) making decisions on the matter of termination;

(vi) making decisions on other major issues.

Article 16

The Congress of Member Representatives shall not be convened and commenced until more than two-thirds of the member representatives attending. The Resolution made by the Congress of Member Representatives shall enter into effect upon approved by more than half of the attending member representatives.

Article 17

The term of the Congress of Member Representatives shall be five years. The Congress shall be convened and commenced once a year at least. If any special circumstances occur to advance or postpone the change of term, it shall be approved by the Council and submitted to the Business administrative departments for review, and approval by the Registration and Administration Agency of Social Organizations. The extension of term shall be no longer than one year.

Article 18

The Council shall be set as the executive body of the Congress of Member Representatives, which leads the Commission to carry out daily work during the inter-sessional period of the Congress of Member Representatives. The Council shall be responsible to the Congress of Member Representatives.

Article 19

The Council shall perform the powers as follows:

(i) implementing the Resolutions made by the Congress of Member Representatives;

(ii) electing and recalling the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary-General of the Commission;

(iii) preparing and convening the Congress of Member Representatives;

(iv) reporting the work and financial status to the Congress of Member Representatives;

(v) making decisions on the enrollment and removal of members;

(vi) making decisions on the establishment, alteration and termination of the offices, branches, representative agencies and entities;

(vii) making decisions on the appointment of the Deputy Secretary-General and the Principal Persona in charge of other branches, representative agencies and entities mentioned above;

(viii) leading the Commission and other branches, representative agencies and entities mentioned above to carry out daily work;

(ix) formulating a set of internal management system;

(x) making decisions on other major issues.

Article 20

The Council shall not be convened and commenced until more than two-thirds of the members of the Council attending. The Resolution made by the Council shall enter into effect upon approved by more than attending two-thirds of the members of the Council.

Article 21

The Council shall be convened and commenced once a year at least. If any special circumstances occurred, other forms of communication can be employed.

Article 22

The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary-General of the Commission shall be equipped with following qualifications:

(i) adhering to the principles and policies of the CPC, bearing good political qualities;

(ii) having great influence and popularity in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization area;

(iii) no more than 70 years old for the appointment age, and full time of the Secretary-General;

(iv) being healthy and able to maintain normal work;

(v) having not been subjected to criminal punishment for deprivation of political rights;

(vi) having full capacity for civil conduct.

Article 23

The chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary-General of the Commission shall be appointed for a term of five years and no more than two consecutive terms.

Article 24

The Chairman shall be the Legal Representative of the Commission. Upon the entrustment of the Chairman and the approval by the Council, the Vice-Chairman or the Secretary-General can be appointed as the Legal Representative after being reviewed by the Business Administrative Departments and approved by the Registration and Administration Agency of Social Organizations.

The Legal Representative shall be entitled to sign some relevant important documents on behalf of the Commission.

The Legal Representative of the Commission shall not be allowed to act as the Legal Representative of other groups.

Article 25

The Chairman of the Commission shall exercise the following powers:

(i) convening and presiding over the Council;

(ii) reviewing the implementation of the Resolutions made by the Congress of Member Representatives and the Council.

Article 26

The Secretary-General of the Committee the Commission shall exercise the following powers:

(i) performing daily work and organizing the implementation of the annual work plan;

(ii) coordinating the work of branches, representative agencies and entities;

(iii) nominating the Deputy Secretary-General and the Principal Responsible Persons of each branch and representative agency and entity to the Council for decisions;

(iv) making decisions on the appointment of full-time staff of the branches, representative agencies and entities; 

(v) handling other daily affairs.

Chapter V  Asset Management and Principles of the use

Article 27

The sources of funding for the Commission are as follows:

(i) Membership Dues;

(ii) Donation;

(iii) Government Funding;

(iv) Income from activities and services carried out within the approved business area;

(v) Interests;

(vi) Other sources of lawful earned income.

Article 28

The Commission shall be entitled to collect Membership Dues in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

Article 29

The Funds of the Commission shall be used for the business scope and career development as stipulated in the Articles of Association only, and forbidden to be distributed among the members.

Article 30

The Commission shall establish a set of strict financial management system to ensure the legality, truthfulness, accuracy and completeness of accounting information.

Article 31

The Commission shall be staffed with professionally qualified accountants who should not act as cashier at the same time. Accountants must conduct accounting and implement accounting supervision. If any job changes occur, accountants should carry out the handover procedures with the receiver.

Article 32

The Commission shall implement the internationally mandated financial management system and be subject to the supervision of the Congress of Member Representatives and the financial department. With regard to the government funding, social donation or aid as the source of funding, the Commission should be subjected to the supervision of the auditing agency and disclose the relevant information to the public in an appropriate manner.

Article 33

Before the Change of Term or Replacement of Legal Representatives, the Commission shall receive financial audits.

Article 34

The asset of the Commission shall not be seized, privately divided or misappropriated by any unit or individual in any way.

Article 35

Salaries, insurance and other welfares of the full-time staff of the Commission shall be implemented in accordance with the relevant provisions stipulated on institutions.

Chapter VI  Amendment Procedures

Article 36

Any piece of amendment to the Articles of Association of the GNFCC shall be approved by the Council and submitted to the the Congress of Member Representatives for review.

Article 37

The revised by the Commission Articles of Association of the GNFCC shall be reported to the Business Administrative Departments for review within 15 days after the approval of the Congress of Member Representatives, herefrom, the revised Articles of Association of the GNFCC shall come into effect upon approval by the Registration and Administration Agency of Social Organizations .

Chapter VII  Termination Procedures and Property Disposal Procedures after the Termination

Article 38

The Council shall propose a termination motion if the Commission has completed its supposed purpose, or self-dissolved, or needed to be cancelled its registration due to separation or merger.

Article 39

The termination motion proposed by the Commission shall be approved by the Congress of Member Representatives and submitted to the Business Administrative Departments for further review and approval.

Article 40

Before the termination, a liquidation organization shall be set up under the guidance of the Business Administrative Departments and other relevant agencies to clear creditor's rights and debts as well as to deal with the aftermath. During the liquidation, no activities whatsoever shall be allowed to carry out other than liquidation.

Article 41

The Commission shall terminate upon the cancellation of registration by the Registration and Administration Agency of Social Organizations .

Article 42

Under the supervision of the Business Administrative Departments and the Registration and Administration Agency of Social Organizations, the remaining properties after the termination shall be used to develop undertakings related to the purposes of the Commission in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions

Article 43

The Articles of Association of the GNFCC has been approved by the second session of the Second Congress of Member Representatives on October 9, 2020.

Article 44

The Council shall be entitled to have the right of interpretation on the Articles of Association of the GNFCC.

Article 45

The Articles of Association of the GNFCC shall come into effect on the date of approval by the Registration and Administration Agency of Social Organizations.