Heads of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have gathered in the Chinese capital, Beijing, for a two-day summit.
Security in Central Asia and the situation in Afghanistan are set to figure prominently on the talks starting June 6.
China has said the group was likely to give the go-ahead for a plan to crack down on terrorism. It said talks would also touch upon infrastructure development and project financing across Central Asia.
The SCO, founded in 2001 to enhance security cooperation between its members, has expanded its discussions to cover economic, cultural, and other forms of cooperation.
Member states include China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Leaders of Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia, and Pakistan are also attending the talks in Beijing.
Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters