Tianjin (TDI): Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to strengthen unity and step up collaboration in order to tackle global challenges and foster peace and development.
Speaking at the opening banquet of the SCO Summit 2025 in Tianjin on Sunday, Xi told leaders from across Eurasia that the gathering was intended to “build consensus, create momentum for cooperation, and chart a roadmap for future growth.”
Since its launch in 2001, the SCO has sought to advance what Beijing describes as the “Shanghai Spirit”, mutual trust, collective security, and shared development. Xi said the organization had grown into an influential body that contributes to shaping “a community with a shared future for humanity.”
The Chinese leader underlined that the summit comes at a turbulent moment, with wars and instability dominating the global landscape. He noted that heads of state bear the responsibility of closing divides and finding common ground for development.
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On Monday, leaders of SCO member states, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are set to hold detailed talks on bilateral relations and international crises such as the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. The summit will also feature an “SCO Plus” session, bringing in non-member countries and international organizations to discuss global governance and economic cooperation.
The banquet, hosted at Tianjin’s Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre, was attended by more than 20 heads of state and government, along with senior figures from over a dozen international organizations.
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The SCO, which began with six founding members in Shanghai nearly a quarter-century ago, has since expanded to a group of 10 members, with additional observer states and dialogue partners stretching across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Together, its members account for close to half of the world’s population and about one-quarter of global GDP, a sign, Xi suggested, of the organization’s growing role in shaping the international order.
