Beijing (TDI): Tianjin is set to host a key gathering of foreign ministers from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states on Tuesday, as preparations intensify ahead of the bloc’s major summit later this year.
According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, the meeting will serve as an important political groundwork-laying session for the forthcoming Tianjin Summit, which will be held under China’s rotating presidency.
Spokesperson Lin emphasized that China hopes to use this opportunity to uphold the core principles of the SCO, known as the “Shanghai Spirit”, which include mutual trust, equality, dialogue, and respect for cultural diversity. “We aim to build a shared home based on solidarity, peace, development, and fairness,” Lin said at a press briefing on Monday.
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A number of official resolutions and agreements are also slated to be signed during the meeting.
As the current chair of the organization for 2024-2025, China is aligning this year’s priorities with its slogan “SCO in Action.” Lin noted that the focus is on turning shared goals into tangible outcomes, echoing Chinese President Xi Jinping’s broader vision for regional cooperation.
“The meeting is intended not only to deepen practical cooperation,” Lin said, “but also to ensure the complete success of the upcoming summit and push the SCO into a new phase of high-quality development.”
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The SCO Foreign Ministers’ Council is scheduled for tomorrow in Tianjin. Along with the main discussions, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will also be paying an official visit to China at the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the ministry confirmed. Leaders of SCO’s permanent institutions will also be present.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
