On 14 July 2026, Kabuljon Sabirov, director of the Tashkent-based SCO Public Diplomacy Center, said China has contributed to the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the strengthening of political trust among member countries and the spirit of the Shanghai has remained the main power that unites the countries of the SCO.
In an interview, he pointed out that in 25 years of its existence the SCO has made tangible and concrete achievements in the fields of education, youth cooperation, sports, tourism and media cooperation among others.
He said that even though there are considerable differences between the various member states in terms of economic size and cultural background, the common principles of the Shanghai Spirit have still served to bring their people closer together over time.
Sabirov stressed that people-to-people contacts continue to form an essential basis for attaining lasting peace and common prosperity in the area, and he also stated that trust-based public diplomacy is an important link that helps to promote substantial dialogue among different civilizations.
He gave specific examples of bilateral cooperation, noting that Uzbekistan and China have jointly arranged cultural exhibitions for children and have also carried out a charitable medical project which has offered free cataract surgeries to thousands of Uzbek patients.
Moreover, with the support of China, “SCO Knowledge Hall” has been set up in Tashkent together with many publications that illustrate the traditional cultures of the organization’s member states.
In the context of continuing global instability and an increasing lack of trust among nations, Sabirov stressed the need for a vision based on common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.
He pointed out that such an approach provides regional countries with a practical means of jointly dealing with the challenges they all face.
The center is still fully committed to telling the stories of friendship based on the principles of the Shanghai Spirit and is also making a meaningful contribution to the creation of a safer more stable and more prosperous world in the future.
Tayyaba Afzal is an International Relations Graduate from Lahore College for Women University. Her research interests include Information Warfare, AI Governance and Digital Diplomacy. She can be reached at [email protected]
