BEIJING, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) — Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 will be held in Tianjin from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will chair the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO and the “SCO Plus” Meeting and deliver keynote speeches as world leaders and heads of international organizations gather in this major port city of northern China.
As China hosts the SCO summit for the fifth time, here’s what you need to know ahead of the Tianjin meeting.
LARGEST EVER SCO SUMMIT
Established 24 years ago by China and its five neighboring countries, the SCO now has 10 member states, two observer states and 14 dialogue partners from Asia, Europe and Africa. It has grown into a regional cooperation organization with the largest population and geographic coverage, as well as the greatest development potential.
“Leaders from more than 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations will attend the SCO Summit 2025,” said Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin at a press briefing on Friday.
According to Liu, they include leaders from Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Vietnam and heads of international organizations such as the UN and ASEAN.
This summit will be the largest one since the establishment of the organization, noted Liu.
During the summit, President Xi will host a welcome banquet and bilateral events for participating leaders, a foreign ministry spokesperson announced earlier on the same day.
Expressing his expectations as the summit draws near, Sheradil Baktygulov, director of the Institute of World Policy of Kyrgyzstan, said: “This grand event will enable more people to learn about this beautiful and renowned Chinese city.”
“We are making the most of this important opportunity to host the summit in Tianjin, steadily advancing our preparations and service support, and ensuring everything is in place for this major international event,” said Yu Pengzhou, a Tianjin official involved in the preparations.
CLOSER COOPERATION UNDER CHINA’S ROTATING PRESIDENCY
During the press briefing, Liu said that President Xi will announce new measures and initiatives by China to support high-quality development of the SCO and comprehensive cooperation.
According to the official, Xi will jointly sign and issue a declaration with leaders of other SCO member states, approve a development strategy of the SCO for the next 10 years, issue statements marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th founding anniversary of the United Nations, and adopt a series of outcome documents on strengthening security, economic, people-to-people and cultural cooperation.
As the rotating president of the SCO in 2024-2025, China has coordinated closely with all parties around the theme of “SCO Year of Sustainable Development,” Liu said.
Though the SCO was established to meet the need for security cooperation, it has gradually evolved into a platform for in-depth collaboration across multiple fields, including economy, trade and cultural exchanges. SCO member states account for approximately one quarter of the global GDP.
Fan Xianrong, a foreign ministry official responsible for coordination work in SCO, said that as the rotating president of the SCO, China has hosted over 100 events, including ministerial-level meetings spanning various areas including diplomacy, finance and central banking, defense, economy and trade, and beyond.
“Additionally, China has spearheaded a diverse array of events such as an SCO political parties’ forum, a media and think tank summit, and an art festival,” he added.
“It sends a clear message to the international community that the SCO is not a platform just for talk, but for action,” Liu said.
“The Tianjin Summit has brought together different institutions and organizations, all sharing a common purpose: to promote and strengthen good-neighborly relations and friendly cooperation, and to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust,” said SCO Deputy Secretary-General Ahmad Saidmurodzoda.
GREATER SOLIDARITY FOR GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
As one of the most important head-of-state diplomacy and home-ground diplomacy events in China this year, the upcoming Tianjin Summit has drawn wide attention from the international community.
In his keynote speeches, President Xi will elaborate on China’s new vision and propositions for the SCO in carrying forward the Shanghai Spirit, embracing the mission of the times, and responding to the people’s expectations, according to Liu.
The Shanghai Spirit, which emphasizes mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development, is the very root and soul of the SCO and has demonstrated timeless value throughout its development course.
“China will work with all parties of the SCO to remain true to the organization’s original aspiration, shoulder its mission, carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, and provide SCO solutions for global governance and reform,” Liu said.
“China believes that a friendly, united and productive Tianjin Summit will advance the SCO into a new phase of high-quality development, characterized by greater solidarity, closer coordination, stronger momentum and higher effectiveness. The SCO will continue to contribute its strength to building a community with a shared future for humanity,” Liu said. ■
