Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit Kicks Off in Tianjin: What’s Happening Today?

Kokcha News Agency: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, one of the largest gatherings of global leaders, has officially commenced in Tianjin, China. The two-day summit, hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, will see the participation of leaders from member states, observer countries, and dialogue partners, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

President Erdoğan, invited as an honorary guest by President Xi, is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several leaders, including Xi Jinping, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Russian state news agency TASS, Putin will also embark on a four-day visit to China, Russia’s largest trading partner.

• China-Russia Relations at Their Peak: Chinese state broadcaster CCTV highlighted that China-Russia relations are at their “best in history,” describing them as the “most stable, mature, and strategically significant” among major powers.
• Modi’s First Visit to China in Seven Years: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attending the summit for the first time in seven years, held a positive meeting with Xi Jinping, emphasizing the importance of trust and respect in bilateral relations.
• Xi’s Bilateral Meetings: President Xi also held talks with leaders from Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the Maldives ahead of the summit. During his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Xi stressed the need to deepen strategic partnership and mutual support across all fields.

Largest SCO Meeting to Date:
This year’s summit is set to be the largest in SCO history, with 20 world leaders and representatives from 10 permanent member states, 16 dialogue partners, and observer countries. Originally established in 2001 by six Eurasian states, the SCO has expanded its focus from security and counter-terrorism to economic and military cooperation.