China’s Xi hosts global leaders at SCO summit in Tianjin city

Xi held bilateral talks with various leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

During his meeting with Aliyev, Xi reiterated China’s support for Azerbaijan in joining SCO, noting that the two sides should maintain “strategic communication” and expand cooperation in various areas.

The two sides signed a number of agreements in the fields of artificial intelligence, scientific and technological innovation, finance, media and other fields.

During his meeting Pashinyan, Xi announced the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Armenia countries, and said that Beijing supports Yerevan in joining the SCO.

During his meeting with Belarus’ Lukashenko, the Chinese president urged the two sides to continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other’s ore interests and major concerns. The two countries also signed documents in various fields such as science and technology, finance, metrology, media, transportation, customs inspection and quarantine.

The Chinese leader met Saturday with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Myanmar acting President Min Aung Hlaing, Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The SCO meeting is being held Sunday and Monday, marking the fifth annual summit hosted by China since the forum was established in 2001.

The summit convenes amid escalating geopolitical tensions, including Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, the Ukraine conflict and international tariff disputes. Xi, serving as the rotating chair, will preside over the summit.

Leaders from more than 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations will participate, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masood Pezeshkian, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Guterres and SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev will attend the gathering.

Leaders are expected to sign the Tianjin Declaration and approve a 10-year strategy, alongside outcome documents on security, trade, energy and cultural cooperation.

The summit will also issue statements on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the founding of the UN.

The SCO evolved from the "Shanghai Five" mechanism comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan before Uzbekistan joined as the sixth member. Today, it includes 10 member states, two observers and 14 dialogue partners across Asia, Europe and Africa.

The organization covers approximately 24% of global land area and 42% of the world’s population, with member states accounting for roughly one-quarter of global GDP and trade increasing nearly 100-fold in two decades.

China’s trade with SCO members, observers and dialogue partners reached a record $890 billion in 2024, or 14.4% of its total foreign trade.

The previous SCO leaders’ summit was held in Kazakhstan in July 2024, where 25 strategic documents were adopted covering energy, security, finance and information security.